Of Cherry Blossoms and Ramen
by Eternal Nightingale
Summary: Attempt at completing '100 themes' challenge. Pairing:NaruSaku. "I ate ramen this morning and found the most peculiar thing.... a cherry blossom petal."
1. 1 Introduction

**Tulip-chan has challenged me, and as far as my still growing character development shows, I never back down from a challenge. Especially from Tulip-chan, she's my coach on life I tell you lol. **

**I'm going to TRY to do the '100 Themes' challenge on my OTP for life, NaruSaku. Besides the challenge I got from my friend, I liked the choices for this '100 themes' thing. I can come up with tons of scenarios with the choices I got. I'm actually pretty giddy about it. And it'll give me practice for my current fanfic, 'To See you Again' **

**These will be stand-alone one-shots, don't expect continuations on them, unless I can connect one theme with another lol. **

**Enough. Please scroll down and begin reading, also seeing as these are relatively short, I'll probably be posting two chapters at a time...maybe. Hope you enjoy! Drop a review if you do!**

**Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns every inch of Naruto, Fangirls own every inch of the NaruSaku fanworld lol. **

_"And so...it begins..." _

_1. Introduction_

* * *

The first time she ever laid eyes on Naruto...she was seven. It was purely accidental that they met, and it was really a one-sided interaction. He never made eye contact with her. She's fuzzy on many of the details, but she remembers crying. Some boys had made fun of her 'huge' forehead again. This was a typical pattern for her. Go to school, learn ninja skills, go play, be made fun of by rude little boys, and cry your heart out on some dreary little corner by some rarely used path in the park. Which was what she was doing when she first saw him. Her green eyes had been blinded by the salty tears still cascading down her blotched face. She heard the rustling, and the scrapping of shoes slowly making their way towards her. She spotted his dirty old blue sandals first. She had rubbed away her tears to try and see who it was standing in front of her. She was met with a huge white handkerchief. She blinked, and slowly accepted the offering from the stranger. She remembered being somehow happy that someone was worried enough about her to offer their handkerchief. She also remembers holding in a horror-filled gasp as she looked up to thank the person. It was the boy all her friends back in the academy had warned her about.

"He's trouble Sakura-chan, just stay away from him."

"I don't know why we should, but my momma says he's bad luck."

"They say he'll kill you if you're not careful around him."

"That's why he's always alone, cause you gotta stay away from nuisances."

The black sheep of the academy. Naruto Uzumaki. She laughs at herself now at how completely naïve she was. Being frightened over a boy that was clearly more frightened of her. For his hand had trembled slightly when it made contact with hers, when she nervously handed him back the handkerchief. She was confused, someone her friends had dubbed as being evil, was shivering over a girl like her? She wanted to ask, and she would have, but he was gone just as quickly as he had arrived. All she knew about him was his blonde hair and messed up clothes. Back then she was just relieved the 'dangerous' boy had left her alone. Though the back of her innocent little head was telling her that she, strangely enough, enjoyed his company.

She left soon after, her tears dried for the day. She was smiling. Though back then she didn't know why. Her green eyes landed on two slumped and groaning forms of the two boys that had made fun of her earlier. If she could have smirked back then, she would have, but instead opted to give them her iciest glare she could muster. The boys looked up at her and quickly rose to their feet and bowed to her repeatedly. She was stunned, and even more so when they told her they would leave her alone from now on. She mumbled her acceptance, and watched them as they limped their way home. One of the boys, and maybe it was her imagination, she really doesn't know...it was so long ago after all, had whispered loud enough for her to hear.

"That Naruto boy sure can be rough when he wants to be."

--

"Oi...Sakura-chan?" "Sakura-chan? Are ya in there?"

She punched his sweater-clad shoulder and smiles. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

Naruto gave her a pout as he rubbed his bruised and abused shoulder. "Ne, you could have said that without punching me Sakura-chan."

"What was that?" She asked him slowly and threateningly as she pumped up her fist.

"Nothing! Nothing at all Sakura-chan!" Naruto flailed his arms as he nervously laughed at his pink-haired teammate.

The two kept walking towards their team's meeting place. Naruto's curious azure gaze falls back on Sakura and he asks carefully.

"So, what were ya thinking about back there Sakura-chan?"

His shoulders tense as his eyes make contact with hers. She gives him a blank stare before facing forward again. He releases a withheld breath and keeps walking.

"I was just thinking about how we first got introduced to each other."

She smiles as she leaves her confused teammate behind. Naruto scratches the back of his head as Sakura's form becomes smaller and smaller. He blinks before running up to catch to her.

"Wait Sakura-chan! What do ya mean by that?" he frowns as he hears her giggle. "Seriously Sakura-chan!! I don't get it!"

* * *

**So...how was Night-chan's first chapter of her attempt of the '100 themes' challenge? good, bad, tacos?  
Sorry, couldn't resist! :P  
By the way, the last part of this chapter, both Naruto and Sakura are fifteen. Just in case you all were wondering!  
Please review if you enjoyed! Your opinion matters...well to me anyways XD  
End. **


	2. 2 Love

**I'm updating a story so soon? Yea well, these one-shots are coming in easier than I thought they would, and I just go with the flow you know what I mean? **

**Anyways, my AN is gonna be short cause I don't got much to say lol. Review if you enjoyed it and such. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine...I have nothing to trade with Kishimoto-sama for ownership. **

_"What is love?"_

_Theme 2: Love  
_

* * *

She concluded that she knew nothing of love. When it came to understanding it. When it came to being able to tell the difference between it and deep infatuation. All of it. She knew nothing.

Her fingers clench and unclench around the small bottle of half empty juice. She had made this conclusion about a day ago. A little girl had asked her about love randomly in the street as she was on her way to a mission briefing with Lady Tsunade. She had remained dumb-founded by the question. She was fifteen years old for god's sake...she could answer that simple question couldn't she? No, she couldn't. She had stood staring at the little girl with wide green eyes. After about a minute she had stuttered out her quick answer.

"Love is very complicated, I could never have enough time to explain all of it to you sweetie."

She was relieved to see the girl leave her alone, her curiosity having been satisfied. Sakura had walked on to the Hokage's office with a troubled mind. The cold reality had hit her. She was clueless on what real love is.

Once upon a time she had thought true love was a twelve-year old brooding boy named Sasuke Uchiha. She can still remember the words of pure love and devotion she had declared to him the night he left. She remembered every moment she had seized to try and tell him her 'true' feelings for him. And she remembered how he had shot down each one of them. Each rejection colder and crueler than the last.

She sighed as she eyed the empty juice bottle in her hand. She still had lingering...whatever it was she felt for the rogue Uchiha, but like her recently discovered lack of diminishing knowledge of the meaning of love, those too were diminishing by the day.

What was she supposed to do now that she knew her huge flaw. Girls her age should know about love right? Maybe she should ask Ino, maybe even Hinata knew more about love than she apparently did. Had her infatuation with Sasuke driven her so far away from what actual love was. She banged her head on the table. This couldn't be happening to her. She was a knowledgeable Kunoichi, top among her peers. Surely she could come up with a few sentences about what love was while making it make sense.

She banged her head on the table again.

"Ne, Sakura-chan...aren't ya afraid you'll get a concussion if you keep doin' that?" A concerned voice asked her as she heard the distinct slurp of ramen being devoured.

She faced her blonde teammate while her head was still on the table. She glared at him before facing back down on the table.

"Shut up." Was her mumbled reply.

Naruto stared at Sakura's slumped form on the table of the Ichiruka stand. His gaze saddened as he placed the empty bowl of ramen on the table.

"What's up Sakura-chan? You've had that troubled look since we got back from kicking butt on that mission." he tried to see her face, only to have her dig herself deeper into her arms.

She mumbled something he couldn't quite hear and poked her side gently. "What was that Sakura-chan, I didn't hear ya."

Sakura slowly revealed her face as she sat up straight again. "I said you wouldn't understand Naruto, it's sort of a girl thing."

Naruto's mouth shaped out an 'o' as he nodded. He thanked the old man for the two bowls of ramen he received and happily handed one to the depressed Sakura.

Sakura blinked at the steaming food and stared up at her teammate with a questioning gaze. She had already told him she wasn't going to eat anything. He grinned at her and picked up his chopsticks again.

"Well, you shouldn't let whatever's bothering you get in the way of being happy. Besides Sakura-chan, you're a smart girl who's capable of figuring out anything. I'm sure you'll find your answer to your girl problem!" he gave her a thumbs-up. "I have faith in you Sakura-chan! You can definitely do it! You're amazing!"

He then patted her back gently before beginning to devour his fourth bowl of ramen. Her face seemed suddenly hot as she stared at Naruto attack his bowl. His words had surprised her. She quickly turned to look back at the bowl of ramen in front of her. She let a smile form on her lips as she watched the little fishcakes in her bowl float on the broth. Her hand reached for a pair of chopsticks.

She nudged Naruto to get his attention. He stared at her with noddles hanging out of his mouth.

"Thank you..."

Naruto blinked as a light blush covered his whiskered cheeks. He swallowed and grinned at Sakura.

"Sure, anytime Sakura-chan!"

They both smiled before digging into their ramen.

She concluded, that she knew nothing of love. Nope, she knew nothing about it at all. And for now...she was completely fine with that.

* * *

**And there's theme two done and checked out from my list...-stares at the ninety-eight other themes still left-  
for some reason...this list got longer to me...  
Oh, well. I hope you all enjoyed that one, and I hope to have the next one out by tomorrow too!  
Also, the reviewer who had concluded my first theme was tacos...you are a GENIUS!! lol you're too kind with your words XD  
Please review for your opinion rules in this story...like Tacos and Chocolate will rule the world one day  
End. **


	3. 3 Light

**Yet another chapter, yea right? Well...maybe. You see this one gave me a bit of trouble because I was coming up with all these scenarios I could use. Then they started jumbling together, and then I couldn't choose between one or the other. So the mess you see down there is the result. **

**I did try...I are a failure (intentional misuse of grammar XD)**

**The next ones after this one will be better though, I've already looked them over and started narrowing down what I plan to write up for them lol. Plan ahead as I always say :P**

**I hope you still enjoy it, and please review if you do! **

**Disclaimer: Kishimoto + Naruto Not mine. Yea for anime math! **

_"The light will find a way."_

_Theme 3: Light _

* * *

Naruto was never one for deep thinking. He was always action now, thinking later type of guy. The years of getting himself into unnecessary hazardous situations was proof enough. His teammates would also agree with him from the many times they've nearly lost him in their missions.

Of course he was reckless and had a one-track mind, but it didn't mean he was stupid. And it didn't mean he didn't have his moments when he was actually a pretty good deep thinker. Rare and far in between, but Naruto did have moments went he contemplated over things around his life. Or more like people.

It was on one such occasion that Naruto found his brains within the deep confides of his action induced mind and thought over the 'love of his life', Sakura.

Of course said 'love of his life' still treated him like the hyperactive child she met years ago as genin. It was during her little rant on how immature he was after he had played 'who can stick their tongue out the most' with an eight year old boy that he began to notice something in his pink-haired crush.

Her facial expressions had drastically changed over the two years since they were apart. As she yelled/talked to him, he noticed how the scowl she always had when she was lecturing him had dimmed from its former fury. Her eyebrows seemed not as knitted together, and the stress lines on her forehead had nearly disappeared. That was good, she seemed more relaxed than before.

His blue eyes studied her as she continued to scream at him, she was oblivious to what he was truly thinking.

His gaze hardened as his thoughts began to accumulate. The smile she always used to have back when team seven still included Sasuke, had hardened as well. It didn't seem as real or as wide as before. She was either in her serious medic mode or her teacher/protector mode when around her team. She rarely showed a face of peace, or calm. And he began to realize that many of the happy giggles and laughs she used to have with him and the team back then had also slowly shrunk away. She rarely smiled, her frowns were more common, anger and annoyance was more her forte now, and a deep saddening look would come over her whenever she thought no one was looking.

He was so caught up in keeping a promise he made to her, that he had failed to realize that the old Sakura he had grown to love even more had slowly been disappearing.

His hardened gaze fell and sympathy took its place. He was right, all he saw in Sakura now was true, but...he was seeing something else as well.

Maybe she was feeling depressed over their failed attempts at finding Sasuke. Maybe she was slowly losing the young girl attitude that she once had that always made Naruto smile. Maybe all of it was true.

His eyes gleamed with a new found reassurance in his mind. But...when she did honestly smile, they were more true more pure and more honest then he's ever seen her shown. When she was angry and annoyed she always seemed to laugh at the end, usually do to his part on doing something ridiculously stupid yet funny. When she was sad, she seemed to make herself that much stronger unlike before, when she would just collapse in defeat.

Perhaps she wasn't the same as before, but maybe she was better this way.

Naruto grinned and nodded at his own realization.

"What are you grinning over now Naruto?" an agitated feminine voice asked him.

Naruto continued to grin as he watched Sakura fuming over him. "I was just thinking about something."

"Really? For the past ten minutes you've been thinking over something." She smirked as she raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you had the capacity to do that Naruto." She teased at him.

"Ne, that's hurtful Sakura-chan." he pouted playfully in feigned hurt.

"You deserved it you big baby. Playing with an eight-year old like that and then spacing out on me when I was giving you some good advice." She rolled her eyes and laughed as she continued on walking.

He stood in his place, watching her walking towards Ichiraku. He smiled again. She rarely showed a genuine smile, and she was angry at him most of the time,he concluded within his mind.

And with that conclusion he also accepted that her smiles were rare. But the way her eyes would light up when she was truly happy, and when she was really smiling brought him another conclusion.

"Ya know Sakura-chan...your eyes have the most prettiest color of green when you're happy..." he grinned as he passed her by slowly after having caught up with her. "You should smile more often...like you used to do...it brings a nice light on your face."

He failed to notice her blushing face, or the way her mouth began to twitch just the slightest at his words. He was far too busy with his thoughts.

He concluded that he was determined to make that smile come back more often and to bring back that twinkle in her eyes she always used to have.

He felt a light smack on his arm. He looked down at the pink haired girl next to him.

"You're an idiot...you know that?" Her voice sounded gentle and soft as she spoke. And as she looked up at him with a smile on her face, he noticed the twinkle in her eye.

He let the goofy grin appear on his face again as they both sat down on the Ichiruka seats.

He was determined now, more than ever to make sure she kept smiling again. She deserved to get the light back in her life after all.

Why not start with her smile?

Naruto was never one for deep thinking, even if he had his moments. For if he had been a deep thinker maybe he would have realized that the light he was so desperately looking for her to regain was sitting right next to her. And that she was already slowly getting back, long before he even thought about the problem.

They just both need to realize it first.

* * *

**Theme number three checked out and more to come and go!  
I'm really giddy about this...I'll totally burn Tulip-chan after I finish with these challenges and all of you will be along for the ride lol.  
Please review because your opinion matters...yes...  
End. **


	4. 4 Dark

**This one was meant to be put up yesterday, but I lost the file among my many long long files in my computer's memory. Seriously, I found this story's file like about...two hours ago? Yea, depressing for someone who believes in tidiness lol. **

**Besides that I have nothing much to add. Please review if you enjoyed and have a nice night/day/afternoon/morning/evening. :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto...I'm too irresponsible to own a manga lol. **

_"Dark and light are opposites, but one without the other, they cannot be complete."_

_Theme 4: Dark _

* * *

It was always rumored that people with bright eyes always seemed to show their eye color at its best in the dark.

--

As shocking as it may sound, she really thinks that the darkness of the night brings out the best in Naruto's features,especially his eyes. She cringed at her own inner thoughts, but as she kept staring at her blonde teammate crouching on the tree trunk next to hers, the more she was believing them.

With a full moon out and shining brightly over the forest they were currently hiding in, he looked almost god-like, like a creature that didn't belong in the human world.

She tucked a loose strand of her pink her and licked her dry lips. She returned her attention back to the quiet surroundings of the forest. Only minutes passed by before her attention drove her back to look at Naruto. His blue eyes focusing on everything in front of him and nothing around him, he was oblivious to his pink haired teammate's thoughts about him.

She scowled in her lack of concentration on their mission and at Naruto for causing her to enter deep thinker mode. She shifted quietly against the old bark of the tree trunk she crouched on and released a sigh. Her eyes wandered over to Naruto again, who seemed to be having his own battle over staying awake or just collapsing on the tree and drifting off to sleep.

She was scaring herself really. Staring at him behaving in almost his usual way, she still saw the god-like creature leaning on that tree trunk. His blonde hair seemed to glow differently than before, a gold like shine. It almost look like he had decorated his hair with gold liquid.

How was it possible for a young man to have multiple shades of golden blonde hair?

Then his face. Her green eyes intensified as she stared at his drooping eyelids and his lips seeming to move to speak words she couldn't hear. The whiskers seemed to become highlighted in the pitch black of the night and the bright cream-colored light of the full moon. They seemed longer and for some reason, the night made the whiskers seem almost natural against the tint of his skin. Like the whiskers belonged there all along.

She jumped as he jolted from his spot on the tree. He blinked, bewildered for a moment. He turned his head to look at her and he sent her a reassuring grin. He was awake, and was most certainly not sleeping. He nodded at her and turned back around to return to his previous intense and attentive stare at what was in front of him.

She sighed and shook her head, letting a small smile appear on her lips. Her smile disappeared as she noticed the intense color of blue staring out into the night.

The Naruto she was always used to had an abnormally bright eye color. Sometimes she thought his eyes were brighter than her own. His hair resembled a bright mid-afternoon sun bearing it's color down onto the earth. Everything about him during the day just shouted out bright. Even his clothes still had the signature color of orange he was always seen wearing. His words and peppy attitude were just as bright as his physical appearance. Than...

Why did she seem to think that the darkness of a late summer night brought out his best features?

When everything about him was bright?

His eyes most especially were driving her more into her agitated mood. She had said before that his eyes were a bright...sky blue. Now, in this forest where you could hardly see a thing without the beam of the moonlight, his eyes seemed to have turned into this deep and beautiful shade of royal blue. Or perhaps a mixture of cerulean and navy blue.

Sakura shook her head. Mission, that's what her head should be saying at the moment, focus and mission. Still, her green eyes remained on the still figure of Naruto as his eyes seemed frozen in one spot.

He looked mature crouching there on that lone dark tree branch. His body seemed leaner and more taller than before. And the wind wasn't helping either.

Sakura grunted silently as the breeze swept through their part of the forest and caused Naruto to move just an inch. He looked like some damn epic hero preparing to rescue the princess in distress.

"You and your damn bi-polar physical appearances." Sakura complained in a hushed tone.

Naruto turned his stare at her and asked innocently. "Did ya say something Sakura-chan?"

Sakura grunted again and turned to look at him. She swallowed any words she was going to say as she stared at him.

Those eyes of his looked so...bright...which was surprising her. The lack of light was making his bright eyes...even more bright?

She held her head, she was confusing herself with the overuse of the word bright. Her green eyes stared at him for a moment longer. He was smiling at her, waiting for her reply. His gaze seemed kind and comforting. And those damn blue...dark bluish...whatever color they are, were making her blush. Hard.

She whipped her head around, hoping he didn't spot the tinge of red covering her pale cheeks. She coughed and folded her arms across her chest haughtily. She scowled as she felt his stare becoming confused and questioning.

"N-Nothing! Shouldn't you be focusing on our scouting mission instead of listening to whatever I'm saying?" she hissed at him as she stared at the dark trees ahead of them.

Her blush intensified in color as she heard his deep chuckle. She pouted and threw a small pebble she had found lodged in her boots earlier, at him. She smiled victoriously as she heard his small whine as the projectile made contact with his head.

"Ne, I'm sorry Sakura-chan! You didn't have to throw that pebble at me." His voice sounded soft and childish as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"Serves you right." She reprimanded him as she twirled around to face him properly.

She was surprised to find him in the same position staring at her with a small pout, but his eyes still as mystifyingly annoying as ever.

Her blush smaller now, she rocked her legs back and forth, looking at him and then at the ground below.

It was a fact now. No doubt about it. As strange as it still sounded to her, the fact was Naruto lived up to his unpredictable ways. The dark surrounding them made his features stand more and he seemed more in place here than in the light where he pretty much belonged in too.

"You're just one big contradiction Naruto." She mused to herself out loud.

Naruto stared at her with confusion. "I...am?"

She shrugged off the question and smiled, her blush once again intensifying. "You know...has anyone told you Naruto that your eyes look so much brighter and...more intense at night?" She mumbled and bit her lower lip. "Well you know in case not...they look...nice." she felt life a stuttering idiot now.

Tense seconds passed by as Sakura stared at her legs, both rocking back and forth rapidly. She can hear him shifting and she can see his legs beginning to rock back and forth in time with her own. She looks up to stare at him as he calls her name.

"Ya know Sakura-chan..." He smiles at her as they both make eye contact with each other. "I was thinking the same exact thing...weird huh?"

It was too dark, but they were both blushing as the last of Naruto's words disappeared with the wind.

--

It was always rumored that people with bright eyes always seemed to show their eye color at its best in the dark.

Both Sakura and Naruto heard the rumor on the same day.

* * *

**I feel like one of those corny writers who doesn't know her own limit on over the top fluffy romantic moments that make it that much more corny. lol  
Woot! Go me and my corny-ness :P I'm more of an angst romance writer than anything really. fluff isn't my speciality...as you've all clearly seen XD Oh well, I tried.  
Review please, because cheese cake matters and as such your opinions as well.  
End.**


	5. 5 Seeking Solace

**Though I have another ninety-five yet to write (sigh) I have to say, this one was my favorite that I've written so far! I even made myself cry when I was typing it up. This theme completely rocked since I could use some supreme angst in order to do it! And wallah! I have a NaruSaku ready to be read lol. **

**That's it for now, oh and thank you for the kind reviews I received! It gets me motivated to complete this challenge! -throws thumbs-up sign- Hope you enjoy and please review if you did!**

**Disclaimer: (Read previous chapters) XD **

_"You're the only one I know that could understand."_

_Theme 5: Seeking Solace _

* * *

She doesn't really know where she got the idea of going to his apartment of all places. She doesn't even know why she chose him of all people to go to for her current situation. She was here though, her top half completely wet from the small rain shower that hit the village nearly three hours ago.

Three whole hours, waiting for her blonde teammate to return from his training. She muffled in a laugh at how pathetic she looked sitting on the dirty cement floor of some apartment. Still, her desperation and her longing for some company convinced her to show up at his doorstep, only to find out he wasn't currently present.

She heard the distant clapping of thunder in the distance and cringed at the sound. Looks like another set of showers was heading towards Konoha. She buried her face into her bent knees and released a shaky breath. She wanted to leave, after three hours she was starting to look like some stalker, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. For some reason or another, Naruto was the only person she felt she could talk to about this. Not Ino, not Tsunade-sama, not Kakashi-sensei, not even her own family.

She wanted Naruto. And if it weren't for the fact that she was still grief-stricken, confused, bitter, and numb all at once, she would be berating herself for even considering Naruto as a source of comfort and wisdom.

She lifted her head and leaned against the cool pale gray walls of the apartment and let two tears roll down her cheeks. Her black dress was still partially drenched as she stretched out her legs.

--

She had gone to a funeral today. A neighbor her mother and she knew had a three month old baby boy who had passed away due to complications to his heart from a disease that sadly, Tsunade could not cure.

She had left that morning with the intent of being a polite neighbor and attend the small funeral for the innocent little life that was lost too soon. Her mother had gone with her, and everything seemed natural. At least natural in the sense of how a normal funeral should be.

Sakura's grief truly struck her as she viewed the young woman tremble and shake beneath her infant's small grave. The portrait of a barely young enough to smile boy filled Sakura's vision as she tried her best to hold her own tears by not looking at the young mother. She couldn't help it though, the small portrait had reminded Sakura of something she had forgotten, and hated herself for forgetting. She had baby-sat that baby when he was just born. She had held that baby in her arms while his mother went shopping for more baby supplies. Sakura knew the warmth of that baby, and had seen his sleeping face, had heard his quiet but constant cries, and heard his first set of giggles as she handed him back to his mother.

Her green eyes had widened in cruel recognition. She knew that baby.

She knew that small baby, and the fact that she wouldn't see such an innocent face anymore, hurt her more now that she had realized...how personal the funeral had turned for her. That baby would never know the meaning of life, would never see the sun again, or feel the nice cool breezes of a Konoha night. He would never enjoy the sights of such a grand village, and would never get the opportunity to reach for his goals and make them come true.

It took all that she could muster not to run out of that funeral in full blown sobs. But she swallowed her pain and newly found grief, and remained for the rest of the funeral. She stayed strong for the mother, who would never get to say how much she loved her little baby boy to him again.

She was still young herself though, and as soon as the funeral was over, she convinced her mother to go on home without her. She wanted to take a walk and clear her head. As soon as she spoke those words, and she knew her mother was out of sight...she ran. She ran as fast as she could. She ran past the busy market district, past Ino's family flower shop, past the Ichiruka, past every sign of bustling sounds of the Konoha people.

Before she knew it, she was standing in front of his apartment. Rain slowly drizzling down upon her and the rest of Konoha. And that was how she found herself sitting against the wall outside his apartment.

--

She heard the loud clapping of thunder closer to her earshot, and then the slow sound of small droplets of rain hitting the metal roof above her. Her dull green eyes stared at the roof for a moment before she closed them. She remained like that for minutes, until she heard the distinct sound of feet running through muddy puddles and then the sound of feet impacting against the iron stairs leading to the apartments.

She opened her eyes and turned to stare at the soaked figure standing mere feet from her. Thick drops fell from matted blonde hair, and a headband hanged loosely on the said hair. She heard grumbling coming from her teammate as he searched for his keys, unaware of her presence.

"Damn rain. Damn forest and all it's stupid mud. Damn old man for telling me to go get changed before giving me my ramen. Damn stupid weather for never agreeing with me. Damn...Sakura-chan?" Surprised blue eyes stared at the slumped girl on the floor, his wet trembling hands dropping the keys he had just located in his pockets.

All his previous angry rants forgotten he stared at his pink haired teammate with slight curiosity after the surprise subsided.

"Ne, what are you doing here Sakura-chan? You know I train every Thursday." he tried to sound light-hearted and goofy, but his smile left his face as he stared at Sakura.

Her eyes were dulled, and instead of retorting over his words she simply stared at him with a blank face.

"Hi...Naruto." She spoke softly, her voice echoed across the empty passageway with a sickening hollow sound.

Naruto frowned at the sound of her voice. This wasn't the Sakura-chan he knew. Something happened to her. His blue gaze intensified as he stared at the young woman sitting next to his door. Her hair was disheveled, like she had been running, she was wearing funeral clothes, and she was trembling from her arms up. Her face was slightly blotched, she had been crying. His eyes widened as he caught something. He's seen this look before...in himself.

His gaze saddened as he walked over to Sakura and bent down in front of her. Someone she knew went through something terrible, maybe even died. He knew it had to be that. Her green eyes looked so lifeless as she stared back at him. He looked the same way when he found out Jiraiya had passed on.

"Sakura-chan..." he didn't need to voice his question, he knew she knew. He reached to gently caress her cheek, and he was surprised to see that she leaned in to his touch. She wanted the comfort.

She smiled as she felt his warm fingers on her cheek, this is what she had been waiting to receive for over three hours. The tears that she refused to shed at the funeral, came crashing down.

Her voice though, remained calm as she began to speak to the worried blonde in front of her.

"He died Naruto."

"Who did Sakura-chan?" His voice implored her to continue, his hand still on her cheek.

"A...A baby boy. H-He was the son of a young woman who lived next door to my family. I t-took care of him once when he was just a newborn." Her voice trembled slightly as she pressed herself to continue. "I-I went t-to the funeral..."

Her green eyes shined as the tears continued to fall. She was a strong Kunoichi, death was always surrounding her. She accepted that, but this was different. She didn't cause the death, no one else caused the death, no blood was shed. This was a life cut down by cruel fate. Human touch wasn't required. This was a baby boy who unfortunately contracted an incurable disease. And died because of it.

She wasn't strong enough to see innocence end so quickly. No amount of experience would ever make her be strong enough for that.

And as she let her tears fall, and she let her mouth shut tightly, unable to speak any longer, she noticed the look in Naruto's eyes. The bittersweet smile on his face. He knew. Without her having to say a word more, he knew what she felt.

And all she could do as she saw his wet arms extend out as a sign he wanted to embrace her, was do exactly what he asked. She let him embrace her. The quiet sobs, became loud anguished ones. And her screams of why did this happen mixed in with the sound of the shower turned thunderstorm.

"He was too young Naruto...he was too young." she kept bawling out to the trembling blonde holding her tightly in his arms.

She felt the tears falling down his face as he buried her deeper into his chest. His own eyes shining with the tears that kept falling.

"I know...Sakura...I know."

--

The two remained in the same position for the rest of the day and well into the night. The young man cradling the young woman in his arms. Her eyes closed in deep slumber and her sobs returning ever so often.

He closed his own eyes and smiled at her breathing returning to its slow and calm pace, and how her hand clasped tightly onto his sweater.

She needed him and sought him out. He had happily obliged.

* * *

**Emo-ness much on my part or what? Yea, well like I said before, angst is more my thing than fluff. I did try to add some fluff though...if you can even notice it lol. O.o...  
The baby was something totally made up on my part, as a matter of fact...this whole scenario might be completely impossible. That's why I love the world of fandom writing XD  
Well, thanks for reading and please review...for your opinion matters, just like chocolate on every birthday cake matters lol :P  
End.**


	6. 6 Break Away

**I am very agitated right now. I lost my file for chapter of 'To See You Again'. Well... 'Had' lost, but recently found. Though half the chapter is completely erased...WTF? How is that possible? -agitated sigh- whatever, my laptop must just hate me or something. I'm not gonna rant here though, lol, that would be unwise and so unprofessional of me! I did manage to write another theme for this story though, and how ironic for me that the title for it is 'Break away.' **

**JOY...well I hope you enjoy this one, and I hope I can get enough motivation to fill in all the rest of bottom half of the chapter for TSYA. **

**I loved the reviews I received last time, so THANKS to all of you!! It does keep me motivated otherwise my laptop would be dead right now from hammer abuse. XD**

**Disclaimer: Kishi owns Naruto...Tulip-chan's right...it does sound sorta kinky O.o **

_"Because I can only break away from this if you let me."_

_Theme 6: break away_

* * *

She was always being protected. Especially...by him.

--

She could feel the blood seeping through her clothes. The deep gash on the left side of her abdomen continued to gush out the red and warm liquid. Her body was beginning to numb, and she could feel her mind already desiring to fade off. She stood on her knees, her bloody arms extended out to add more support. Her gloves were dirty, and torn in multiple spots. She could feel her legs beginning to fall beneath her. She was weak from blood loss, she knew that perfectly well.

Still. Her green eyes fell on the slumped figure feet away from her. He was still conscious, she could clearly see his rapid breathing. His black and orange jacket was dirtied and marked with burnt spots, but he had no serious visible injury. He seemed weak from the exertion of running around for the past hour. She could tell from the way his arms wobbled as he tried to stand up. He needed her help. She would not let her body's weakness prevent her from protecting him.

Her tired eyes narrowed as she began to crawl towards him. Her legs had gave out on her minutes ago. She clenched her fists as she began to feel the fatigue on her legs surround her entire body. It wanted to collapse and let unconsciousness take over. She would have none of that. Her body would have to hold on a bit longer.

She had to get to him. She had to get to him and then slap him around a bit for getting them into their current situation. She didn't need his protection. She was a capable shinobi who could handle a simple task as defeating a jounin-level nin from the village they had entered to gather information.

--

Naruto was already nervous about letting her go out alone while he made sure no one was following them. She had convinced him to let her go and that they would meet near the small waterfall five miles outside the village. His blue gaze seemed uncertain, but he obliged after she gave him a heavy glare. She had been tired of him treating her like the weak genin she was back when Sasuke was still with them. He knew better. She could handle it.

Of course she didn't know that man was trailing in front of her. The Jounin had come to her as if he was walking back to his village. Even then, she knew she could handle it. She was proving it when the man was having a hard time dodging her punches and kicks. The fact that he couldn't land a hit either was reassuring her she could handle it.

Then she was distracted. The Jounin had used a dirty trick and grabbed a traveling family's little girl and held her by a kunai to the neck. She had grabbed the girl when he threw the girl towards her, and then she was met with an excruciating pain as his kunai sliced through her side. She pushed the girl out of the way and told her to run.

The man didn't even leave her an opening to heal her wound as he kept trying to hit her with anything he could think of. This kept going on for about an hour. She kept dodging, then hide somewhere to attempt to heal her wound, he would find her and then he would throw another attack at her. The pattern began again. The pattern wasn't broken until she heard the distinct sound of metal clashing metal and the fierce yell of a pissed off fifteen year old genin. She let a smirk appear on her face then as she gained new confidence, if Naruto was close by then that means these enemies had no chance. The both of them worked at their best together.

Things didn't go as she had planned or hoped.

The airhead of a partner she had pushed her out of the way when the nin he was fighting attempted to help the nin attacking her do a double hit against her chakra punches.

--

And that was how she found herself crawling like a sick worm towards the idiot that tried to be the hero again and save her from some horrible peril that didn't exist. Her eyes softened though as he turned around to face her, his blue eyes glistening with unhidden happiness when he saw that she was okay.

He frowned slightly though as he noticed her attempting to crawl towards him. His mouth opened to protest, but she noticed his face contort into a look of pain. Her eyes traveled down to his leg, where a deep gash could clearly been seen. Even from her distance she could practically see the bone of his leg through the red fleshy mess of broken skin. She gulped and held back her tears. She needed to get to him. Even with the Kyuubi's healing abilities it would take more than twenty minutes for the wound to heal completely.

She knew Naruto sensed her urgency to get to him. His blue eyes, though clouded with pain, stared at her as he mouthed out that he was okay. She obviously didn't believe him.

He was so bent of convincing her to stay back and let him handle the rest of the fight, even with an injured and immovable leg, he didn't notice the heavy shadow forming behind him.

Her green eyes widened in cold realization as she saw what that shadow cloud was. Kunai, Shuriken, knives, every pointy metal weapon known to man...making their deadly aim at the slumped form of Naruto.

'Move idiot...MOVE!' she cried out in her head. Whether she was referring to herself or Naruto, to this day she doesn't really know.

The next few seconds were all a blur to her. She remembered the fear she felt, and the questioning look Naruto gave her before he turned to look at what was bothering her so. She felt herself move of her own accord. The pain in her side seeming to vanish into thin air. She remembered feeling her feet pound ferociously into the dried cracked earth beneath her, his figure growing closer and closer to her, her breathing growing erratic as she sensed the metal weapons looming even closer to him, and she remembered how he tried to move and get out of the way.

Then she felt pain. Blinding white-light inducing pain that nearly made her collapse on top of the tall young man beneath her. She could feel every inch of the steel weapons sink deep into her flesh, and all she could do was smile. Her green eyes finally released the tears, from her pain or the fact that Naruto was still very much alive she didn't know.

Her body wobbly hovered over Naruto's who was still slumped on the ground, his blue eyes wide and hollow, full of fear for her. His lips quivered as he saw the blood from her body begin to seep through her and drop silently to the ground. The blood seeped through her mouth as she smiled down at him. He was trying to tell her something, but the blood loss was finally starting to catch up to her. She could feel her body growing numb again, and the adrenaline leave her body, leaving her feeling like gelatin.

She heard his frightened, angry, and sullen tone as he asked quietly. "W-Why, S-Sakura-chan?"

She smiled again as she viewed his suddenly beautiful blue eyes. It was probably to be able to see those again, but it was more for the both of them then anything else.

"I-I guess it was about time I b-break away from tradition and s-start saving your b-butt...ne, Naruto?" She collapsed on top of him, and she could feel his body begin to tremble as his arms entwined around her. "I'm tired of being protected by you, let me take c-care of y-you too, you i-idiot. And maybe you should t-think about breaking away from t-that tradition too Naruto."

She was unconscious by the time he got the nerve to speak up again. He held her head close to his chest as he whispered to her ear. "You're such...an idiot Sakura-chan." but he smiled.

--

She was tired of always being protected. Especially by him...

She wanted to break away from that cycle she had formed with him. And so, he let her break away.

* * *

**Naruto does serve a big can of whoop-ass and wins the fight after this one-shot is over so relax lol.  
I hope my message was understood by everyone, seeing as sometimes I delve so deep into my logic I'm the only one who actually gets it XD  
I was going to mention something, but...I forgot what it was so...meh...whatever lol, no losses there.  
Please don't forget to review because your reviews matter, like the chocolate frosting on a triple german chocolate double deluxe dutch cake matters. ;P  
End.**


	7. 7 Heaven

**So here's a fluff chapter for all of you, though it's not really fluff until the very end but whatever. Be glad I managed to do a fluff at all. And I call myself a romantic...pfft. **

**Anyways expect my updates for this story to begin to slow down, I'm back in school and I'm sure that with my honor student status school will devour me within two weeks. -sigh-**

**Sorry, though I will try and update as much as I can. Not to mention my other story. **

**I hope you enjoy this one-shot of the seventh Theme of the 100 theme's challenge. And please review if you did! **

**Disclaimer: No, Naruto isn't mine...nor do I want it. :P **

_"One day I'll know what it means, and grab it for my own."_

_ Theme 7: Heaven _

* * *

She didn't even know why she let herself get so infuriated over one simple little piece of paper. Even if said piece of paper was annoying her to no end with its surprising difficulty.

She ran her fingers agitatedly through her pink hair and let a wind of air escape her lips. Her green eyes stared at the piece of paper with an intense and increasing loathe. She pouted out her lip and tapped her pen on the small wooden table in the Hokage's office.

She let the pen drop along with the paper and leaned back against the sofa, her agitation for it having boiled over. She narrowed her eyes at the paper as it flowed up and down with the rhythm of the wind coming from the opened window.

"You stupid crossword...I never thought they'd be this freaking difficult." her lips frowned as she talked to herself.

Sakura was a smart girl. She knew that, and everyone else she knew, knew that. And knowing that, she figured killing some time while she waited for the rest of her team to arrive for a mission briefing would be beneficial to her random attacks of boredom when she was stuck waiting. She had found the crossword among the magazines Lady Tsunade tended to keep around the room. She glanced at it quickly and concluded that it was simple enough for her to complete.

Pfft. Yea, easy.

She had only managed to fill in half the answers before she hit a rather tough spot. She couldn't understand it. All the other answers had come to her easily, or with little trouble if any. Yet this one simple little word was nearly making her think pulling off her own hair would provide the answer. So she remained staring at the piece of black and white paper for fifteen minutes, thinking that if she stared at the statement long enough the answer would come to her.

And here she was fifteen minutes later, slouching on the sofa of the Hokage's office, utterly defeated and extremely pissed off.

"It's not like I wanted to finish it anyway, it was just to pass the time by, that's all." She mumbled angrily, trying to convince herself of her own words.

It wasn't working.

Her green eyes were diverted from the bane of her existence when she heard the door clicking, someone was coming in.

She let her frown turn into half a smile as she spotted blonde hair before her teammate, Naruto fully made himself known in the room. He grinned at her as he spotted her and waved happily before making his way over.

He collapsed himself on the couch next to her and stretched out his arms and legs while yawning.

"Someone woke up late, like always." Sakura mocked the blonde boy as he let a silly grin appear on his face.

"Well, if I had gotten the four bowls of ramen I wanted from the old man I would have woken up sooner, blame him Sakura-chan." He giggled as she playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Stop being silly, you idiot." She reprimanded him half-heartedly.

"Right, right." He waved it off with his hand. His blue eyes scanned the room and landed on the empty front desk ahead of them.

"Ne Sakura-chan, where's baa-chan?" He asked as Sakura turned to look at what he was staring at.

"She had to attend some meeting with the elders about an hour ago, she should be back anytime soon though." she replied, her attention returning to the crossword cutout still laying on the table.

"Ah." The blonde stated, he then turned back to his pink haired teammate fixing to complain about how the others were late when he noticed the intense look she was giving to a piece of paper.

"What's the matter Sakura-chan?" he asked, his blue eyes blinking as he neared his face to the paper. "A crossword?" He asked again.

Sakura scoffed and crossed her legs. "Yea, a worthless piece of crossword if you ask me."

Naruto twisted his head to face the brooding girl and let a small smile grace his face. "Did you have trouble finishing it?"

Sakura scowled as her cheeks were tinted with a light pink color. "Of course not, I just decided that I didn't want to finish it that's all."

Sakura's left eye twitched as she heard the distinct sound of deep giggling coming from her teammate. She opened her green eyes and glared at him as he tried to hold in his fit of giggles with his hand over his mouth.

His blue eyes opened narrowly as he sent her a sly look and grin. "You couldn't finish it cause you got stuck on a word didn't you Sakura-chan?"

Her already aggravated mood was increased ten-fold as Naruto's giggles increased.

"It's not like that you jerk! Stop thinking stupid things!" she yelled at him, which only provoked him to continue his light teasing.

"You know Sakura-chan acting all bitter won't help you solve it." he giggled at her expression. "It can't be that hard silly! Even I've done these things before and I solved them like that." He snapped his fingers to demonstrate his point.

Sakura closed her eyes in anger and fisted her right hand. "Naruto..."

His body stiffened at her tone and he nervously began to inch himself away from her. "Ne, Sakura-chan it was just a joke...I didn't mean to..."

He never got to finish his plea as a fist connected to his face, lunging him to the wall of the office. Lucky for the injured boy, Sakura hadn't put that much force into her punch, otherwise he'd be on the other side of the room, the wall displaying a huge new hole in the process.

She smiled smugly as she heard the soft groans and grunts coming from the slumped blonde. She grabbed the piece of paper harshly and looked over the statement that had caused her anger to begin with.

"A six letter word for a place where you feel at ease, a paradise for those who are often lost or seem to lose hope in their life, a certain feeling a person feels when surrounded by the things and people that make them feel complete and content, a euphoria."

She spoke out loud, making sure the still slumped Naruto heard every word. Her green eyes darted from the paper to her blonde friend.

"Try and find a six-letter word for that you moron!" She exclaimed loudly before throwing the paper down to the floor and stomping outside of the office.

She failed to notice the growing smile on Naruto's face as she walked out.

--

Sakura huffed as she tapped her foot angrily on the carpet floor, staring at the vending machine as it brought down a soda for her to drink. Her angry glare vanished as she spotted her master, sensei, and two teammates walking down the hallway and towards her.

She smiled as they spotted her. She greeted them all, and yelled at Kakashi for arriving late, which caused the jounin to complain since the other two had shown up late as well.

The group laughed as Sakura stated they were at least more reliable in their time schedule then he was.

Tsunade opened the door to the office and found the blonde talking to Shizune who had walked ahead of her to organize her unsigned documents.

Sakura ignored Naruto as she sat down in her original spot. Her eyes caught the paper she had thrown to the ground back on the table and quirked an eyebrow. Her gloved hand grabbed the paper and she scowled at the statement that had caused so much trouble.

Sai noticed the look Sakura was giving the paper and walked over to her.

"Sakura, tell me why are you staring at that..." he turns to face the paper more properly. "crossword puzzle?"

Sakura blinks at him before she realizes his question and she replies. "Oh, it's nothing. I just couldn't figure out the answer to one of the statements and it kind of got me angry."

The pale young man snatched the paper from her and read it over. His dark eyes gleamed for a moment before he handed it back to her. "The answer is heaven Sakura." was his only reply before walking up towards Yamato and Kakashi.

The pink haired girl stared down at the wrinkled paper and felt herself blush again. Sai was right, the answer was heaven. She felt so silly now, overreacting about a dumb crossword puzzle. And the answer to it was so obvious now, how she didn't get it before was beyond her own understanding. She sighed as guilt began to seep into her mind. She had yelled at and even punched Naruto. All cause of a stupid crossword puzzle.

'Though he shouldn't have made fun of me to begin with, that fool. Still...'

Her eyes looked up to spot the loud blonde yelling at Tsunade over something stupid, and she smiled sadly.

'I was a bit harsh, I'll apologize when we're on our leave to our mission.'

With that problem resolved, Sakura grabs the neglected pen on the table and begins to look for the empty squares on the crossword to fill in the answer heaven. Her green eyes scan the paper and her brows furrow as she fails to find the place to put it in.

She almost lets out a gasp as she finds the spot where heaven is supposed to be filled in. She darts her eyes over to her team and hopes they didn't hear her, they hadn't. She returns her stare at the paper, and reads what was written over the spot where heaven was supposed to be located.

"S-a-k-u-r-a." she mouthes out silently. Her green eyes widened as she stares at the words.

The letters were sloppy and not that well written. She knew the handwriting though, it belonged to Naruto.

'Why would he put my name as the answer to the...' She seizes her thoughts as an even brighter blush covers her face.

A small smile appears on her face as she glides pale fingers across the written words. She resists the urge to giggle as she sees her name written on the paper again and again. Her green eyes look up again and she's surprised to see that Naruto's eyes are staring right back at her.

His blue eyes twinkle with mischief and something else she can't quite name as he smiles at her. The smile makes her blush even more as she finds herself looking away in embarrassment.

She looks up again and mouths out a 'Thank you.' in his direction. His dazzling smile grows wider as a small blush covers his own whiskered cheeks and he nods back slowly.

They stare at each other for what felt like minutes before he rubs the back of his head and looks away, almost as of he was thinking over something. He then turns back to look at her and smiles again. His mouth form words she half wished she had imagined they formed. 'My heaven.' though was the only thing that fit with his lip movements.

He turns quickly back to pay attention to the briefing happening in front of him.

Sakura plays with her fingers as she folds and unfolds the piece of paper in front of her as it suddenly becomes the most important crossword puzzle she had ever done.

--

As they leave to their mission, she watches him walking ahead of her, his hands behind his head and his walk leisurely. She thinks about what occurred back in the office.

Though she'll never admit it out loud, especially to him, his gesture was the sweetest thing someone had ever done for her, and she absolutely treasured the moment.

Though she'll never admit it, especially to him...at least for now anyways... she thought that his name fit perfectly in those spaces as well. She believed that whole-heartedly.

The rest of the mission she walked close by him, her smile never leaving her face.

* * *

**Aww, how sweet huh? Lol I thought it was, then again maybe I have a different taste in fluff than other people on here...oh well.  
Thanks for reading, and review because your opinion matters...just like Naruto matters to Sakura :D  
End.**


	8. 8 Innocence

**Oh my, I updated so soon? Yea I know I'm surprised too. If it weren't for these nagging thoughts at the back of my head, trust me...there wouldn't be an update. **

**So I wrote this little baby and I hope I was able to center my thoughts correctly. It has angst, fluff, and then more angst. An angst sandwich in other words, lol. The fluff is totally random, but I thought that I wouldn't be at least a smidge of a romantic if I didn't add fluff to this theme.**

**Hope you all enjoy this one, and I might just be able to make another quick update if my thoughts start nagging at me again. **

**Disclaimer: not mine. **

_"Innocence is so little found."  
Theme 8: Innocence _

* * *

In the world they lived in, the word innocence had long since lost its value and its meaning. They were cruel, heartless, and efficient killers. Shinobi, ninjas who did their job and nothing else but that. Blood was an everyday thing to them, and death was only a surprise when it did not occur. Their hands were dirtied with blood before they even hit adolescence, before they even knew what real blood was.

Yes, they knew the meaning of poison, and weapons, and chakra, and all those other sophisticated shinobi words long before they knew what innocence was.

And when they did learn what it was, they were saddened by the fact that they had lost it long ago.

They were machines, human machines to be used in battle. To protect and defend all that was good and all that was necessary for the greater good. And though they had let the mask of their true human emotions slip more times than they now were willing to admit, they had hidden it even more.

This was their lives. This was how they occupied their time, blood, and sweat everyday for. This was how the eyes of every villager they protected would envision them as, and this was how they were to be seen as for as long as they lived.

Innocence was something they had unwillingly and unknowingly let go of long ago.

There was no turning back from that, there was never even a choice.

A blonde young man with bright blue eyes that would gleam with happiness one moment, and dull with unspoken sadness the next would agree. A young woman with bright pink hair and equally bright green eyes would agree with that as well. They knew the prize they paid for to become the Shinobi they were today.

One did it for the sake of being near the person she most loved in the world, and then later on to convince herself and others that she had more strength than she let on.

Another did it to let people know that he existed, that he was worth something, that he shouldn't be ignored anymore.

They followed their own ninja way, their own path of a strong and capable Shinobi. They both rushed right in to achieve what they desired most, and expected to arrive on the other side victorious and with little scars.

They had both been wrong. Their own way of doing things was noble in the ninja world.

But the way of the ninja they tried to escape from, would one way or another always catch up.

--

A small laugh erupts around the stillness of an empty and secluded part of a park. "Naruto, you got ice cream all over your mouth and lips!" A pale hand holds a napkin and reaches over to the grinning blonde, "Idiot..."She mumbles amusedly as she begins to wipe off some of the white foam.

Naruto rubs the back of his head with his free hand and uses the other to keep his melting ice cream cone from pelting the young woman's skirt with white vanilla. "Ne, Sorry about that Sakura-chan! You know I really don't know how to eat this without it melting all over my hand."

Sakura's green eyes twinkle with happiness as Naruto tries to eat his ice cream again. "It can't be that hard for you Naruto." she laughs as he nervously watches two large drops of melted vanilla ice cream slide down the soggy waffle cone. "Oh you goofball, here."

She grabs Naruto's sticky and wet hand and takes out another napkin wiping away the gooey substance from his tanned fingers. She does the same with the two sliding drops and then smirks when Naruto sighs out in relief.

Their eyes meet and they both laugh again at the humorous situation the blonde had just been in.

Sakura places her two used napkins on the end of the bench they were currently sitting on and proceeds to finish her own, when she notices the same sticky goo falling down her own arm. Her eyes loose their amusement as she spots tiny dots of brown melted ice cream lining her upper right thigh.

She lets out an agitated sigh and tries to look for another napkin.

"I thought you said it was easy Sakura-chan." Sakura sticks out her tongue as she hears Naruto's teasing voice.

Naruto chuckles and chomps down the last bite of ice cream before taking out his own napkin and gently removing the sticky dots on Sakura's thigh.

"You had one all along?" she questioned him, surprised he remembered to bring one at all.

His blue eyes danced with joyful glee. "Yea, I mean I'm not the only one who forgot how to eat an ice cream cone..." he looks up as he dabs the napkin gently over her opened lips. "Right?"

Sakura blushes and nods eagerly as he returns the smile and turns back to sit properly.

They both stare out at the slowly setting sun and let the warmth of the clear spring evening surround their bodies.

"You know it's nice to just come here and relax." her quiet voice penetrates the air again.

He nods and lets his arms dangle over the top edge of the bench. "Yea, and the ice cream was a delicious bonus." He grins as he licks his lips in memory.

"I'm going on a mission tomorrow." She adds sadly, her voice losing her normal happy tone.

"Same here." was his quiet reply, his eyes seeming to lose the mischievousness it once held.

Her hand, still sticky from her now eaten cone, gently covers the top of the other's equally sticky and tanned hand.

"We should eat ice cream when we come back." though it was a simple request the young man could hear the small plead she left unvoiced.

"Just don't forget your napkins Sakura-chan."

--

They are both shinobi. They accepted this the moment they became part of a squad. Their status was questioned when their squad of four became three. They questioned themselves when the chance arose to save that lost number. Innocence had been lost long before then, and disappeared completely from their lives during and long after that.

All they knew was blood, death, and fights. That's all they saw as they kept searching for that last number. Hoping they can still save the little innocence they thought they had while with him.

Innocence was something they still thought they could regain.

It was because of this, and many more reasons they seldom choose to recall, that they clung to anything they could while out from those duties they called missions.

Ice cream, sitting in a park, and acting their age was the only things they could think of to hold onto innocence.

Something they have long lost, but stubbornly choose to still cling to, because it was worth having. And it was worth giving it back to someone once they claimed it back for themselves.

* * *

**End. **


	9. 9 Drive

**Another update! I'm actually not as enthusiastic as that exclamation made me sound, I'm plum out tired :p though this one theme made me more tired 'cause it's not exactly my favorite one.**

**I'm more into the romantic ones, XD Speaking on that, one reviewer asked me to make one where they actually officially date...be a bit more patient with me my friend. The theme is a little bit up ahead, but it's the one I want to use for Naruto and Sakura to make it verbal that they love each other -laughs-**

**The story switches tenses as you read along, though I'm not entirely sure where they changed since I wrote this sort of half-asleep. I hope you all enjoy this one, and I'm nearing ten chapters which means soon it'll only be ninety more before I'm done...-sighs- **

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine. **

_"And sometimes she's all you need to keep pushing forward."_

_Theme 9: Drive_

* * *

He never admitted it to anyone, but he hated the sight and smell of blood. Especially his own blood. It made him feel weak, useless, a failure, because it showed his incapabilities to do anything. To prove to his enemies he was strong, to prove to everyone that believed in him that he would never make them lose hope, to prove he had both the will and strength to overcome anything, to prove he can protect all of his precious people, to protect her.

All of those seemed to become ultimate failures when he saw his red blood seep into the ground.

He never let his enemies keep the upper-hand though, he was Naruto after all. He always came up with a way to use his weakness, brashness, become his enemy's weakness when he used it against them. He let them believe he had no plan thought out, that he was just randomly making choices towards his next move, and then he would strike.

He always found a way to win, but the failures he saw through the shedding of his blood would always remain.

No matter how many victories he carried in his belt, the almost-defeats carried an even greater weight on his shoulders.

He never let the burdensome weight break the motives of his life. It didn't mean the weight got smaller or just disappeared though.

It remained with every mission he took, when the blood in his veins dripped from an opened wound.

And the sense of failure would dig its claws deeper into his soul whenever she was with him.

He never felt the sense of failure more, than on the day he almost lost her...for good.

He had let her be independent of him, in the sense that, he let her handle things on her own. He tried not to be the hero, like she proclaimed he tried to be whenever she was put in some danger during their missions. Though it ached his heart to know she had pretty much stated she didn't need him, he approved her choice. She was a strong shinobi, and he had had to admit...he had been overprotective.

For once though, he wished he had ignored her words to let her break away from him. He wished he would have gotten more guts to confront her and tell her he wouldn't do as she asked.

Because maybe if he had done all of those, she wouldn't have nearly died.

--

The mission was a risky one from the start. Transport secret and highly classified scrolls to a nearby neighboring ally, that was their job. They had encountered three random groups of highwaymen, and one strong set of rogue nin. He and Sakura had handled them all without breaking a sweat.

And so, he had dubbed the mission 'a piece of cake' the moment they entered the village to deliver the scrolls.

He should have known how stupid and naïve those words sounded when he spoked them.

The next day, things got so out of proportion, he still questions himself to this day how they both made it out alive.

The man came out of nowhere, a wild and malicious grin on his old and wrinkled, brown face. He held a weird staff in his hand, and his eyes gleamed with so much putrid blood lust, even he had shivered from the sight.

He remembered turning his attention to Sakura to ask for backup, and his blue eyes widened with anger as he spotted four other male nin surrounding her. He could practically see them undressing her with their lustful eyes. Damn bastards.

His first intention was to go and help her, but he was stopped by both ends. The man had made his staff turn into some weird shaped sword and aimed it for his throat. Sakura had spotted him and shook her head, her green eyes intense with determination.

He understood, just by meeting her eyes he knew. 'I can handle myself, fight your own battles Naruto.'

And so he did. He fought the old man, and was highly surprised to find him such a worthy opponent, that he was already becoming short of breath. The man's eyes still gleamed with evil intentions as he aimed blow after blow from his sword, towards him.

He was cut up in so many places he had lost count after the two hundred-thirty fifth slice of open skin he found on his body. The old man, seemed not fazed by their nearly hour long duel.

It was the sound of a loud, terrified, and female scream coming from the direction that Sakura had disappeared to with the four nin, that caused him to grab the old man by the throat and throw him into a large tree.

His blue eyes had formed slits as he heard the scream again, except much more faint. He left the man and jumped across the trees to find his missing teammate. It wasn't long before he did find her.

He still cringed at the memory, and he's surprised he hadn't killed the closest living thing by him when his eyes fell on her limp form.

There was a deep gash on her back, and her legs were scratched up so badly he could hardly see the pale color of her skin. Her pink hair had lost its shine and hung limply to the ground. Her clothes were in worse condition, and he could see she was having a hard time breathing.

He had walked carefully towards her, and lifted her gently from the ground. She still groaned with pain. His blue eyes were shining with quickly forming tears as her green eyes made contact with his. They were losing color, they were turning gray. He couldn't help but tremble as she smiled at him, blood seeping out of her mouth as she did so. His dirtied and calloused hand reached out and wiped away a solitary tear that rolled down her cheek.

The feeling of failure collapsed and over-flowed across his entire body as he read her thoughts through her quickly dimming eyes.

'Thank you for letting me fight on my own like you promised, I'm sorry. I think I'm going to have to leave you.'

"No." he had croaked out as his tears fell even faster. His grip on her suddenly frail arms, tightened. "I won't lose you Sakura-chan...not you...never you."

The old man had appeared out of nowhere just as we was fixing to say his feelings for the dying girl in his arms. His blue eyes grew angry as he put the girl gently back onto the ground and turned to face the man.

He let a small smirk appear on his face as he saw the old man scowl at the sprawled and very much dead bodies of the nin he had had under his command.

Sakura had killed them all, and he was proud.

"Old man...why us huh?" He had asked, his blue eyes forming the slits once more as he let his anger boil again.

His fists clenched even more tightly as he saw the old man grin happily again. A twisted and crazed look in his eyes.

"Isn't it obvious boy, for the blood! For the pleasure of the fresh kill..." He felt disgusted as the man licked his dried lips hungrily. "Especially for the fresh spilled blood of a young maiden."

The old man, as strong as he apparently was, never knew what hit him. He was grinning and cackling over his words one minute, and being pinned painfully against a huge boulder the next. His beady eyes bulging in fear as he was met with the fiercest blue eyes he had ever seen.

He slid the old man down, savoring the anguished sounds the old bastard was releasing as the pointed edges of the boulder cut deeply into his wrinkled back.

He let the man collapse to the ground and made his way back to his injured teammate. The village wasn't far off, she could still be saved. He believed that whole-heartedly.

His blue eyes softened and saddened all at once as he lifted her and heard no response. Her breathing was becoming more and more shorter.

As he walked past the injured old man, his azure gaze hardened and he let his voice carry the hatred he held for the collapsed man.

"If she stops breathing...I'll find you and make sure your death is slow and painful. Believe it."

"Your eyes, held such s-strong conviction and determination...how is it that someone who l-looks so weak can carry such emotions in t-their eyes?" He had heard the old man cough out as he made his way past him.

"Her." was all he said before vanishing into the trees.

--

He had managed to get there in time, and rescued her from meeting her death. He never found out if the old man survived his injuries or not. It didn't matter though, Sakura didn't stop breathing, like he had feared she would. So he was of no concern to him any longer.

She had questioned him though, three days later as he carried her home. The doctors had ordered her not to use her legs until she was back in their village. She had grumbled out at him.

"You've been smiling since I woke up Naruto, what's the deal?"

He had shaken his head and nudged her up higher against his back. "Nothing, I'm just glad I have my reason to protect back, that's all."

"Oh, is that so?" She replied back tiredly, her head resting against his shoulder. "You mean the great Naruto almost lost his drive back there?"

He had chuckled and let her head sink further into his shoulder. "How pathetic...Naruto...you silly goof..." even as she fell asleep, he heard the teasing tone in her voice.

"Yea, I almost lost what pushes me forward towards anything I want to accomplish." He had turned his head and smiled warmly at her calm expression as she slept.

--

Just like he was the one that let her break away from his protective arms, she was the one that gave him his drive. She made the weight of his failures just a little more tolerable.

He thinks that he'll probably tell her that one day, when the time is right.

* * *

**End. **


	10. 10 Breathe Again

**Remember when I said the theme where I was going to officially make these two a couple in my twisted little world, was not until later? Well, apparently it bit me in the butt and decided it was suddenly number ten and not number fifteen like I had originally concluded. So now, you have this theme, where yes, Naruto and Sakura are now a couple. **

**Here's where my twisted little world comes in play. At the start of this theme, they're already going out. I just make it appear as if they're just on an unofficial date. How Naruto actually got the guts to ask Sakura to be his 'lover' :P won't be revealed until the next theme.**

**You'll see how it works out. Trust me, I wouldn't have screwed up the number on this theme if I hadn't been too busy making two themes work together like a two-shot. **

**Now, go on and read this little snippet of a theme, and I hope you enjoy. Theme eleven will be posted as soon as I can. My town might be in the path of Hurricane Ike, so I might lose connection. I hope I don't though. **

**Disclaimer: I'm not the owner of Naruto, nor do I want it. :D **

_"Let me enjoy this air you call love."_

_Theme 10: Breathe Again _

* * *

She was so thrilled at this exact moment, she doubted she'd ever feel such a strong sense of immense joy and relief in her life again.

She ignored the indignant gasps, and rude calls and yells the villagers were sending her as she ran through a large crowd of them.

Her light pink kimono seemed to flow along with her as she pushed her legs as fast as they could go in such formal wear.

The cute red cherry-shaped hairpins she had been wearing earlier were now missing from her loose bun. Strands of pink hair fluttered across her vision and landed ungracefully on her face.

Her green eyes shined with hope and despair all at once, and her smile was wide and genuine.

A large tightly sealed bag was being gripped tightly by her small yet strong hands. The smell of freshly cooked ramen wafted into her nose as she ran past another concession stand.

She was at the yearly spring festival. She had gone with Naruto after he had begged her for over an hour to join him as his date.

Things had gone well, exceptionally well. They had tried almost every sweet-smelling food that caught her nose's attention. Naruto had even caught three goldfish for her, though he had an understandable hate of fish nets now. And had each bought themselves the coolest looking, beautifully decorated, tantos they had ever seen.

The situation had gone sour though, when she had said an offending comment, and he in his anger, had turned and spoke harshly back at her.

It was just a silly stuffed brown purple-eyed teddy bear. She really shouldn't have overreacted. She did though, and had called him weak and useless in her sudden and random tantrum. She could have easily done it herself, and had only let him play the little game to let his 'manly' pride be left intact.

Perhaps that was why she had lashed out at him, for letting him have his 'manly' pride.

In either case, she knew she had hurt his feelings. Especially when a dark look crossed his eyes at her words, and he stood rigidly in front of her.

"At least I'm not a selfish spoiled brat who doesn't seem to get how to grow up sometimes!"

They both went their separate ways after that. She stomped away at his words, and he jogged away, the feelings of betrayal stinging in his chest.

She felt regretful and stupid within the five minutes after they split paths.

He had asked her nicely to the festival, and had even saved up money to buy her little gifts as they checked out the many selling stands. He even had money to buy her dinner. Naruto had really made this feel like a date, and all she had done in return was yell at him.

She was truly stupid and selfish. Just like he had said.

That was why she was running through the large crowd of villagers. She held in her hand the largest bowl of ramen she could find, she had bought it using the money she had brought, hoping to have used it to buy another pretty kimono. This was a much better use of her money though, most definitely.

Her green eyes watched ahead of her, hoping to spot a bright blonde head bobbing up and down as it weaved through the tight crowd.

The deep red color of the oriental lamps hanging from the stands seemed to form a lighted path for her as she continued to race across the street. She could feel her feet getting heavier and her kimono beginning to weigh her down as she neared the northern end of the festival.

Her happy look turned to one of deep determination as her hand gripped the bag tighter. She had to find Naruto, she was sure he was still here. She could feel it.

Her running decreased as she left the last sliver of people entering the festival grounds. She bent down slightly as her heavy breathing finally registered in her brain.

Her light pink kimono was now splotched with brown dust, and she was sure there was a tear somewhere in the back. She could feel her pink hair slipping from the loose knot she had placed to hold it in.

Still, all she was worried about was finding Naruto.

Her determined look slowly faded, as her search for her blonde friend was proving futile.

Perhaps she had upset him more than she had originally thought. The idea of that hit her hard as a look of pain crossed her face. He probably didn't even want to talk to her after what she had said.

Her feet lead her to a small wooden bridge, where she let her tired body finally relax as she leaned against the old wood. Her green eyes lost their gleam and she slowly set the bag of uneaten ramen of the ground below.

She let a sigh escape her lips, and she watched her feet move around a lonely pebble.

She had really screwed up this time it seems.

"T-There you are...S-Sakura-chan." at the sound of his breathless whisper, she whipped her head around and stared at him wide-eyed.

His black yukata, outlined with orange, was disheveled and wrinkled in multiple places. As if he had been running for a long period of time. His blonde hair was even more wind-whipped than usual, and he seemed to be shaking from exhaustion.

Her mouth opened to speak out apologies, when her green eyes caught something. A large, brown, purple-eyed teddy bear was held tightly in his grip. Her eyes traveled back up to his face, where he held the most regretful look she's ever seen him have.

"I..." a small blush covered his whiskered cheeks as he rubbed the back of his head. "S-Sakura-chan I wanted...to say sorry and..." his blue eyes saddened as he half smiled. "I spent our dinner money and got you...this."

His hands held the teddy bear loosely as his head was bowed down.

Sakura smiled and let the look of joy and relief return to her face. She grabbed the bag with the bowl of ramen and walked towards the guilty young man.

She could hear his labored breathing as well as her own. It appears he had been doing the same thing she had been doing all along.

Finding a way to apologize for their stupidity.

Her hands gently rose to cover his own, and his blue eyes finally became visible as they made eye contact with her green ones.

"Me too."

She raised up the bag of ramen for him to see. A look of confusion momentarily passed through his face before he understood her words.

His smiled returned and he squeezed the hand that still covered his own.

The two let out a small laugh at the state of dress they were now in. Sakura placed her now released hand against her chest and breathed in deeply.

"I think I can finally breathe again..." She whispered softly as her eyes looked up to the stars the glittered above them.

Naruto gently placed his hands over her own and whispered back. "Yea, I think I can too."

The two walked home that night, hand in hand. As lovers.

* * *

**Confused? Hope not, if so don't hesistate to ask questions.  
End.**


	11. 11 Memories

**I've been missing for over two months for a reason. SAT's. Yes, they are truly the time consumers of the educational world. I shouldn't even have had time to write this one-shot but I made it work into my schedule and here you have it. **

**I'll try to update my other main story soon as well. (no promises though, sorry)**

**To understand this one-shot you'll have to read the previous chapter, so if you haven't, or need a refresher, then I'd go read again now. :)**

**Thank you for being supportive and patient with me and my lack of time. I'll try my best to update faster! **

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. **

_"And we treasure those images from the past we call Memories."  
Theme 11: Memories _

* * *

Two months, three days, twelve hours, and twenty-two minutes. That's how long she's been dating Naruto. That's how long it's been since he coughed up the courage to ask her to be his 'woman' as he jokingly refers her as from time to time. Of course those joking moments of his are usually met with an elbow to his gut. All that aside though, she's been in a near euphoria this entire time, unable to believe that's she's really Naruto's...girlfriend.

Sakura Haruno, number one most likely to surpass the last sannin, Tsunade, one of the strongest Kunoichi and top medic nin of her generation. Yea, pretty high credentials, and she's dating the number one unpredictable knuckle-headed ninja, Naruto Uzumaki.

Her green eyes twinkle with utter amusement as she replays those words in her head. Three years ago, she would have smacked someone if they even mentioned her and Naruto together as an 'item'.

She grabs the giant brown teddy bear on her bed and snuggles against it.

Yes, back then all of this seemed improbable. She had thoughts of dating and marrying his rival turned brother, Sasuke Uchiha. She could even show her entire collection of notepads with Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha written on every page to prove her point. She had other plans, and none of them included Naruto as a boyfriend.

Yet, here she was, nearly seventeen years old and dating Naruto. The bear in her arms is held onto more tightly as she delves deep into her mind to recall the memories of that fateful and hilarious event.

--

She had completed her daily training for the day, having destroyed about five trees, which was a good day in her book. She had been out in the forest since the early morning, and had only entered the village at about a quarter past two. Her training shorts were all dusty and covered with clumps of mud and grass. Her shirt was in even poorer condition. Her weapons needed cleaning, and her gloves....well she needed some new ones. Her hair had been down when she started and was now pulled up into a messy bun.

She wasn't exactly the most approachable girl in the world at that time, and she wasn't surprised when half the villagers stared at her with astonishment.

She would have minded their stares, but she was tired from training and found herself not caring as much about her appearance as she usually did.

In fact, now that she recalled deeper, she hadn't really been thinking of anything in particular at all. She was hungry and that was it. She never expected to receive a confession of any kind that day.

She didn't even expect to see Naruto that day. He had gone off on a reconnaissance mission with Kakashi-sensei.

With those thoughts in her head, she had walked towards a small restaurant that sold her favorite sweet treats. If it hadn't been for a fact that she was a regular at that place, she was sure half the restaurant would have scrambled when they saw miss ninja enter the place.

Her green eyes had automatically latched onto the small plates of sweets the owner had always saved for her. She smiled and paid the nice old woman, before heading out of the restaurant and towards her house.

She had intended to reach her home, take a long deserved shower, a nap, and then go see if Tsunade or Shizune needed any help in the hospital.

Of course, it didn't work out that way. She first started noticing that she was being followed, when she had dropped one of her weapons and went to pick it back up. Her own footsteps had stopped echoing through the streets, but another set made a couple more steps before abruptly stopping. She had raised an eyebrow and turned to look behind her. Her green eyes widened when she realized that no one was there.

Now, she had thought she was being paranoid for thinking someone was following her, but she was a well trained shinobi. She knew when she was being followed or not, and she was being followed.

She kept her behavior normal and continued her path home. Every once in awhile she would turn her head slightly to see if she could catch a glimpse of the person following her. All she could manage was a blur of someone following then bouncing up into a building.

It was then she had concluded that it was a nin following her. She had been going at a moderate speed, but slowed down to a mere one-step-at-a-time walk when her thoughts began to group together.

Her green eyes gleamed with a victorious glint as she held her bag close to her body and spoke louder than usual into the empty street.

"I hope I can eat all this ramen by myself. I mean it's quite a lot. Three bowls just for one girl?" her mouth formed a smirk as she heard someone practically bounding off a building to land in front of her.

Her eyes met the familiar shock of blonde hair, and the normal colors of black and orange. She resisted the urge to burst out in laughter at the anticipated look shining in his blue eyes as he grinned at her.

"You have three ramen bowls Sakura?!" he asked, his giggles coming out like that of a hyperactive eight year old.

"You've been stalking me Naruto?!" Sakura asked back, mocking the blonde boy by using his same excited tone of voice.

She wanted to laugh again as she watched his grin turn into a smile, then a straight line, then a frown, then into a totally different smile that made him look like some guilty criminal.

He began to laugh nervously and backed away from her slowly. His eyes widened as if she caught him in a lie, and he was about to receive one of her signature punches.

Sakura raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "Well, you gonna stand there like some idiot or are you gonna answer me Naruto?"

Naruto had acted so strangely after she had asked him that. He jumped whenever she talked, moved, or breathed. She had grown agitated by it quickly, and was actually considering punching him instead when he began to mumble to himself.

"Naruto." she frowned when he flinched at her voice again. "Okay, seriously, what's gotten into you? First you follow me for about an hour, and now that I've caught you, you're acting as if we've just met."

Naruto nodded, but refused to meet her gaze. He began to rub the back of his head, and his mumbles increased. She sighed and began to stomp away from him.

She had really gotten tired of his odd behavior, and concluded it was probably because he was hungry and was delirious from lack of food.

It wasn't until she passed right by him, and he grabbed her arm tightly that she began to really worry.

"What now?" she asked impatiently. She had been mad at his behavior and just wanted to go home.

"You have to stay. I have to tell y-you s-something important." the way his voice stuttered caught her attention.

She had never heard him stutter over anything, and she was genuinely concerned. She walked back and faced him. Her green eyes stared at the top of his head, and she began to notice his arms shake.

She spoke softly, gently, a tone she rarely used on him unless he was scaring her with worry. "Naruto...what's wrong? What do you want to tell me?"

"I....I..." he couldn't seem to catch his voice to finish the sentence.

She remembered getting annoyed again as the silence after that lasted for more than five minutes. His arms still latched onto her own, and his breathing coming in and out deeply. She had sighed and tried to pry free from his hold.

"If you're not going to say anything Naruto, then I'm going to..."

"WAIT! J-Just wait Sakura-chan, please! I'm n-nervous. Just please w-wait Sakura-chan." the pleading tone she had heard as he yelled at her, kept her glued to the ground.

Her green eyes were wide with shock and even more worry. The bag in her head was now forgotten on the ground as her eyes stayed glued to his head.

"I've been thinking about this for awhile. I-I've tried to suppress it for even longer." he started out, his hands finally releasing her arms. "For some reason, I really thought that...t-that those two years with the ero-sannin would make those feelings...g-go away."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. She had first thought he was talking about his supposed feelings of being a failure for not being able to bring back Sasuke. Though, after that, she wasn't entirely sure anymore.

"They didn't though. I f-found myself...getting even deeper feelings than before." he clenched his fists together and twirled around, so she wouldn't face him. "I've tried Sakura-chan. You can't even imagine how hard I've tried to stop them. I knew...I knew that they would only hurt me in the end...and...and I knew I wouldn't be able to survive the pain of t-that rejection, never."

She had been surprised, stunned, dumbfounded, all those feelings and more at his words. She was left speechless at the raw emotions she could feel coming from his words. They were the most honest words he had ever said to her since they returned to Konoha on another Sasuke retrieval mission.

"I did try...honest I did Sakura-chan, but I can't anymore. I'm tired." he finally met her gaze, his blue eyes intense with emotions that had left her suddenly breathless.

Now that next moments, she could recall with perfect clarity. It was something she never plans to forget, not for a lifetime.

"Sakura, I'm in love with you, and I want you and I to be together." the bluntness of his words, and the way that goofy smile he usually always had on his face when he'd ask her on a date was replaced with a determined smile, nearly made her fall to ground in disbelief.

She stared at his eyes, for the first time noticing how blue they looked, and how much fear and longing they held.

She took a step back, intending to catch her breath, but the way his brows knotted together, and his blue eyes lost their gleam, made her stop. She had seen defeat and hurt in his eyes, and it had sicken her. She didn't want him to think that way, that she was rejecting him. Still, she had been overwhelmed, and didn't know how to react.

So, she collapsed to the ground, her arms holding her tightly as she let his words sink in at last. Naruto had been by her side in a heartbeat. His arms gently holding her as she stared at the ground below. She couldn't help but marvel at how warm he was, and how his breath made her heart beat faster.

"Y-You love me?" She managed to ask.

He nodded, his eyes saddening again. She then began to laugh. She doesn't know why she had laughed, but she did, and to say this stunned the blonde would be an understatement.

She laughed and laughed, then punched Naruto in the shoulder, causing him to fly into a fence behind them. Still, she laughed. Laughed as if there weren't a tomorrow.

Naruto had coughed up the dust he had swallowed from the impact to the fence, and watched with bewilderment at her bizarre behavior.

She wiped away tears and turned to face Naruto with a wide grin.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to see if this was a dream, so I punched you."

Naruto blinked at her words and then pouted, rubbing his injured arm. "You're supposed to pinch, and it's yourself not the guy who's confessing to you Sakura-chan."

"I know, but I like punching you." She retorted, finally calm enough to go over and help him up.

He had stared at her then, his blue eyes gleaming with love as she stared at him. She had blushed at that and looked away as soon as he was back up on his feet.

A part of her had always known the idiot loved her. Well, he had made it obvious numerous times, who could blame him for not knowing the meaning of discreet. She had smiled as she heard him dust himself off and grunt something about painful confessions.

"I'd like that Naruto." She whispered quietly as she turned to face him again. "You know...being your girlfriend. I think it'd be nice."

She had left him after that. She picked up her bag and continued her walk down the street, a blush all over her face, and smile to match. She was sure Naruto would be frozen in that spot, with that same stupid yet adorable face for about two hours.

She had been right too, when she came back, cleaned and properly dressed, he was still there. When she waved her hand in front of his face he had finally reacted and turned to face her with the biggest smile she had ever seen him wear. His whiskered cheeks brightened with a red blush as he abruptly picked her up and whirled her around. He had been yelling about how he was the luckiest guy in Konoha, and she simply laughed as she was whirled around. She had let him have his moment, he was getting a kick to the face afterwards anyways.

--

Sakura giggled into her bear as she remembered that shortly after that he asked her to go to the spring festival with him. That was how she had her giant teddy bear now. Yes, she supposed it was only natural that Naruto would be as unpredictable in revealing his feelings as he was doing everything else.

She never expected him to be so blunt and nervous in telling her he loved her. Then again she never expected to say yes to his request.

She rolled off her bed, bear in tow, and sat near on her window seat to stare out at the Konoha night.

It just happened, she said yes, he acted like some love-struck monkey, all in all, it wasn't such a bad way to start a relationship with him. She's happy with him too, so it worked out for the best.

"Ne, Sakura-chan you okay?" Sakura gave a small glare to the blonde hanging upside-down on her window.

Blue eyes blink at her innocently and Naruto grins at her as he spots the teddy bear in her arms.

"Naruto, how many times have I told you not to sneak a visit through my window, it's creepy." she shivered to prove her point as Naruto made his way down to sit on the window's edge.

"Sorry, sorry. Won't do it again Sakura-chan, promise." He grinned mischievously and sent her wink.

Sakura rolled her eyes and hugged her bear more tightly. "You're so immature you jerk." She giggled nonetheless and bobbed his head lightly. "Are you coming tomorrow?" she asked.

"Late. I have a mission with Sai, you have one with him tomorrow remember?" She nodded. "I'll bring you something if you want." He asked.

"Sending me gifts won't help you get out of getting punched for things you deserved to get punched for." She spoke coldly, her eyes narrowing.

Naruto laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I know, I promise I'll behave better in my missions Sakura-chan." His eyes held warmth as he grabbed her hand. "I just wanna get ya something, that's all."

Sakura blushed and let her hand be held. "Fine. Do what you want idiot." She couldn't help but smile as Naruto grinned at her like some child allowed to have his dessert.

"So, what were you thinking about just now?" He asked, after a few minutes of silence between them.

She shook her head and played with the bear's ears. "Memories."

Naruto nodded and leaned against the upper edge of the window. "Memories are nice."

"Yes, they are."

* * *

**I hope that didn't make anyone's eyes bleed....-cough-  
Sorry if it looks rushed, I tried to make it as best as I could with my limited time  
Reviews are appreciated, though not expected.  
End.**


	12. 12 Insanity

**I made another one-shot to help ease my pre-SAT nerves, and cause I have a small writer's block with my other story. (I think it's gone, but not entirely sure yet.)**

**This theme gave me a hard time for a couple of days, and finally this came out of it. Yes, it's a very over-used concept, but it's all I could come up with sorry lol. **

**Thank you for the reviews last time, they meant a lot. I thought that all my readers had left because of my long absence XD. Hope you enjoy this one as well.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. **

_"Insanity exists, even in places we wished it didn't."_

_Theme 12: Insanity _

* * *

Drip, drip, drip. That was all he could hear, and it was driving him mad.

Drip, drip, drip. He wished it would just stop. Didn't it realize that sound tore into his soul like an iron knife.

Drip, drip....

His hand gently yet tightly covered over the deep wound on Sakura's right shoulder. It stopped the sound, but not the pain.

There was so much blood coming out of her shoulder, and he couldn't make it stop. Even if the annoying sound did, the damage was still occurring.

Naruto bit his lip as Sakura let out a long pained groan. He couldn't even see her lovely green eyes, they were shut tight from the immense pain that erupted throughout her entire body.

Her uninjured arm clenched tightly on his jacket, and it trembled as he hovered over her crumpled form.

She was dying, a slow and painful death.

Naruto shook his head and rubbed away the tears trying to escape his eyes. He had no time for stupid thoughts like that. She needed him now, and he had to hope, had to believe, that she would survive this wound.

'She's survived much worse than this...Sakura-chan....'

Though the sound had ended long ago, it continued to mock the blonde with it's insistent noise in his head.

Drip,drip,drip.

Sakura moans softly, almost mewing as she tries to move her body closer to his warmth. He smiles sadly as she pushes herself closer to him.

"Don't move Sakura-chan, it'll make you worse." He speaks softly, croaking out his words. His throat had gone dry hours before.

"I-I'm sorry..."She coughed up blood, so much red blood. "N-Naruto." Then, she smiled.

Something burst in him as he saw that smile. That eternal smile he would die to protect without a single thought. His blue eyes shined as the tears accumulated and his hand loosened around her wound.

"S-Sakura-chan...."He managed to say out loud, his thoughts too focused on the way her green eyes were beginning to fade away.

"I, didn't want to m-make you cry...idiot." She mumbled, her voice already vanishing...like the rest of her.

He couldn't help but laugh at her attempt to keep their normality. The way she tried to say idiot, it was something he hadn't realize he would miss.

"You...You're not gonna die Sakura-chan..."He said, wiping away the trail of tears rolling down his whiskered cheeks. "S-So don't talk like that, huh?"

He finally noticed how her lustrous pink hair had grown dull and tangled as she moved her head to look at him more properly.

"Y-You have to l-l-let me go...Naruto." He flinched at her words, he cringed at the way her voice sounded so...accepting of her death.

His fists clenched together and he frowned. He collapsed onto the ground and brought the wounded girl into his arms. He could hear her breathing as it began to slow down. The blood from her wound began to soak into the orange part of his jacket. Her body was turning colder and rigid by the second.

Her hair still smelled of cherry blossoms though. Her hair and skin were still as soft as he remembered. Though she was dying, everything about her seemed to freeze over...just for him.

"I-I can't Sakura-chan. Don't ask me to do the impossible." He released a sob as he felt her heartbeat against his chest slow down even further.

"L-Let me go, I don't w-want you t-t-to get hurt....by..."She inhaled deeply, though he could hear the blood gurgling in her throat. "M-My death."

He began to cradle her back and forth, his sobs releasing form his lips quietly and rapidly. His tears soaked her pink hair, and his hands trembled as they held her dying body.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He chanted into her ear silently, the sounds of the forest and the cool night wind forgotten by the two of them.

"I couldn't protect you, I couldn't defend your life...."His hold on her tightened as the sound of blood clotting in her throat reached his ears. "Now...I'm going to lose you...my most precious person."

He pushed back some of the hair and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes again, and let him get one more glimpse of her beautiful green eyes. She smiled at him.

Her eyes faded away.

She died in his arms.

He screamed at the top of his lungs.

He ravaged the forest, the bright orange glow of chakra surrounding the entire area.

The Kyuubi-carrier cried out his anguish in blood and death.

--

He gasped as he rose swiftly from his bed. A cold sweat covered his entire body and he could feel his heart pounding harshly against his chest.

His blue eyes shifted from one end of the room to the other, hoping for a distraction to calm his rapid breathing and trembling hands.

He combs through his blonde hair and swipes away the sweat on his forehead. He moves around under the covers, removing his legs from the sweat-soaked sheets.

A small snore catches his attention and he looks down beside him to see long locks of pink hair. He smiles with relief and settles back down on the bed to face the young woman sleeping under the covers.

Her eyes are closed and she has a peaceful look as his fingers trail down her jawline. She stirs a bit at his soft touch and leans closer to his body.

His small smile of contentment disappears from his face as the images from his nightmare return. He abruptly yanks her sleeping form into his arms in a crushing embrace. She sputters in surprise and tries to pull away.

Her green eyes flare with growing anger, but she stops struggling when she notices his eyes staring at her with longing and fear.

Sakura sighs and lets Naruto hold her. Her head rests under his chin and she smiles sadly.

"You had that dream again...didn't you Naruto?" She asks quietly.

She feels Naruto nod, and his arms tightening around her body more.

"It's the fifth time in three days Sakura-chan." He chokes back a bitter laugh. "I'm going to go insane if I see you die in my arms one more time."

All she could do was nod and wait for the man in her arms to find peaceful sleep again.

* * *

**Angst is back. sorry, I'll try to bring back some fluff....somewhere.  
I hope you enjoyed this one though.  
End.  
**


	13. 13 Misfortune

**SAT practice.  
Theme revolved around Sakura, and the troubles that follow her for dating Naruto.  
Next theme will be out soon, for I need more SAT practice. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine. **

_"What they find as a misfortune, I find my light."_

_Theme 13: Misfortune_

**

* * *

**

"I can't believe she's dating that....that thing." A harsh whisper escaped the frowning mouth of a village girl.

Another voice, the girl walking next to her, whispered back just as harshly. "I know! At first I thought it was just a dirty rumor to hurt her reputation. I even felt sorry for that pink-haired idiot, now that I know the truth though..." The young girl made a face to prove her point.

Their brown eyes followed the calm form of one Sakura Haruno as she made her way from stand to stand, her eyes spying for items she needed to purchase.

"That freak must have brainwashed her or something with those dem-" Her words were abruptly cut by her other friend, who had jabbed her in the gut.

"Shh! You know we're not allowed to say stuff like that in public." Her brown eyes were still filled with disgust as Sakura walked past them to head towards the crowded part of the Konoha market.

"Whatever the case, her being put on the same team with that thing has cost her her sanity, clearly." The other girl stated, she huffed afterwards, almost as if her words were the logical truth.

"I agree completely. Anyways though, it's not our lives that our ruined it's hers. If she wants to suffer being with that freak of nature then it's not our problem at all."

They both nodded to each other in agreement, gave Sakura's back another hard glare, and huffed away in their own self-induced fit of anger.

Sakura let her shoulder relax as she felt their presences leaving the area. Her green eye twinkled with amusement and growing disdain. The bag she held in her hand was being gripped onto tightly and her knuckles were turning white. Still, all she wanted to do was laugh, laugh out loud. In front of those idiotic girls, and the villagers around her, she just wanted to laugh.

This talk...this ramble...this piece of crap as she called had been going on for two weeks now. She wasn't as surprised as she thought she'd be when the whispers began though. She knew the village would sooner or later find out about Naruto and her being together as a couple. She also knew most of the villagers had accepted Naruto for what was inside him, and would naturally accept the relationship as well.

Either was she really didn't and wouldn't care what they thought about her relationship with Naruto.

She also knew though, that there were still a small bundle of people who found the idea of a girl like her, dating a 'thing' as they've all idiotically referred him as, like him, revolting.

She had been expecting it for awhile actually. So when the first sounds of whispers began to appear within her hearing range she took it in stride. She was happy with Naruto, and none of their harsh words and one-track minded sense would change that. Her patience though, was beginning to wane.

Every week she made a trip to the market for whatever reason brought her out there, the words would become harsher and crueler. At one point, she was an inch away at gnawing a girl's face off for the words she spoke of Naruto. To be honest with herself, any ill words they spoke of her she didn't care about. She knew who she was, and their opinions mattered shit to her.

No, when it came down to it, it all came to what they spoke when it came to Naruto.

In the past two weeks since this whole charade had started, her blood had been brought to a boil about fifteen times from their uncleaned and uninformed mouths. She had to plow down about three trees to calm herself down every time she heard one of them talk about Naruto. Which is why she keeps her trips to the market at the minimal now.

"He's clearly used some of that thing's chakra to seduce the poor child, it's the only logical thing."

"He's a sick bastard for making that poor girl deal with him everyday of her life. It's enough with the team assignment, does she have to date him too??"

"She's clearly been possessed by him, that thing must want some poor victim and she was lured in by that thing."

"I think that damn insufferable idiot is the one that made poor Sakura give in to dating him. He must have threatened her with that thing inside him so she agreed to save her own life. Poor girl."

"I'm surprised the Hokage hasn't intervened in this. Then again I heard that idiot has her in his clutches too."

Those were just some of the most stupid and hurtful things those brainless villagers (mostly girls strangely enough), had said about Naruto.

Really, they had no idea of who and what he truly was. Yes, he had a big head, but it was full of big dreams, and he had a big heart to match it. He was a young man who had set out a path to follow, and so far he wasn't failing in following it.

He was kind, and sweet in his own goofy way, loyal, and trustworthy. Though she wanted to knock out his teeth when he got too blunt with her. Still all flaws aside, she was grateful in having him. She was grateful a guy like him, someone willing to protect those he values as important, had feelings for her.

So when someone offended him with lies and misconceptions she was just as protective with him as he was with her.

Sakura turned a corner looking for the small shop that sells her favorite treats. She twirls around though as she hears the distinct yell and laughter of a loud and hyper blonde. She shakes her head and smiles in amusement as she spots Naruto waving at her frantically, trying to go through the crowd to get to her.

When he finally manages to escape the crowd of people he runs to her and grabs her into a large embrace and giggles boyishly.

"I finally found ya Sakura-chan!" he whirls her around "I was gonna ask you to go get some ramen with me now that I'm back from my mission." he continues to grin like a spoiled brat and whirls her around.

Sakura stares down at him and nonchalantly punches him in the face. As he tumbles backwards, she lands on her feet and dusts off her skirt. She raises a brow and walks over to her boyfriend's slumped form.

"Eh, sorry Sakura-chan..." he lets out a small moan. "I forgot you don't like to be picked up like that."

She smiles and helps Naruto up. "That's right. Now we know that..."

"That I should never spontaneously hug you in public and twirl you around without your permission." He finishes for her, his grin plastered back on his face.

She smiles back and latches onto to his arm. "Right, or you'll meet my fist."

Naruto just nods excitedly, already envisioning his date with Sakura.

The two begin to walk towards the shop Sakura was heading towards, when Naruto is bumped rudely by another passerby. Naruto turns to apologize and is met with an indifferent glare.

"Watch where you're going...you...you thing." Sakura's eyes widen slightly as she recognizes the girl from only an hour early.

Sakura tightens her hold on Naruto's sleeve and keeps walking forward. "Don't mind them Naruto, they've been talking crap like that since they figured out we've been dating."

Naruto stares at the retreating form of the girl as she meets with a group of other girls and they begin to whisper at each other. Their eyes staring at Sakura with something close to loathing.

"I don't really care Sakura-chan...I've been made fun of for years. I'm immune to it now." He grins at her as he keeps up with her fast pace. "Tell me though, have they been treating you badly this entire time Sakura-chan?" His worried tone causes Sakura to stop.

She sighs and releases her hold on his arm. She smiles and turns to look at him "They've been calling me an idiot for dating the guy that carries the 'you-know-what' inside him."

Naruto nods, his expression surprisingly blank.

"I don't mind though, really." She reassures him, the smile still on her face. "They've said just a bunch of mindless words." She laughs as she recalls some of the whispered insults. "There was even one girl who thought it was such a misfortune for me to have to date you."

Sakura's hands intertwine with Naruto's. "I have someone who's willing to do anything for me. Someone who makes me happy and angry all in less than two minutes. Someone who can make my day a little brighter, and can serve as my punching bag if I need it." she manages a smile from her boyfriend at those words. "Someone who's willing to sacrifice his life for me....without a second thought." her tone grows softer and her smile smaller.

"Yea, they're right...." She nods. "What a great misfortune I'm going through by dating you...huh?"

Naruto's eyes widen at her sarcastic tone, and he blushes. His grin returns and his hand gently holds Sakura's.

"Looks like we're both suffering a great misfortune....huh Sakura-chan?"

Sakura nods happily and walks towards the small shop in the distance.

"Yea, let's make it worse by buying candy and eating it in front of them."

She giggles as Naruto's peaceful look twists into one of mischief, and he half drags her towards the shop.

* * *

**End.**


	14. 14 Smile

**This is a short one. I had a hard time writing a decent idea for this theme, sorry lol. My SAT is in two weeks and I'm a bit nervous. Hopefully after this is over with, I'll write better material.**

**Hope you enjoy this one though. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine. **

_"Let me see your smile once more."_

_Theme 14:smile  
_

**

* * *

**

Naruto loves Sakura. That much has been made obviously clear since the day she was put on the three-man squad with him all those years ago.

He loves her hair, the way it bounces when she's walking and how it strangely reminds him of cotton candy. He loves her eyes, they look endless and the lovely shade of green only adds to the beauty. He loves the way her body moves when she fights both in and out of the battlefield. The way her pouts make him melt into a puddle of loved-struck idiot, was also something he loved….in some occasions.

He loves her little quirks. Like how she always spends hours on end staring at her favorite sweets, trying to decide which one to eat first. The way she sits on the couch when she would come over and had to review some medical files for Tsunade.

He loves her qualities. How she's so strong and independent, yet never complains (unless he felt like trying to feel some leg) when it came to his abnormal habit of cuddling. He loves her wild mood swings, as painful towards him as it is, it always made everyday with her unpredictable. Just the way he likes it. Her kindness and empathy towards everyone they met and her cold and distant attitude towards those she found despicable. All of those made her lovely in his eyes.

Yes, he could honestly say he loves Sakura with every fiber of his being. He could also proudly say he knows everything about her that makes him love her.

The one thing though, the one thing that really drives him into fan boy mode is the simplest of human actions.

He loves her smile.

The smile she secretly gave him when they were younger and he would do something awesome and 'heroic' as he calls it. Or the smiles she gave him during the Chuunin exam.

The smile he received when he arrived to Konoha after his two-year training.

The countless smiles she gave him afterwards. When she was injured by his own hands, and she tried to cover it up with a weak smile. The smile of confidence that she shared with him as they traveled to save a lost friend.

Long after that was over with, she had given him a sad smile, they were going to be in their first mission....without each other.

He still loved it. Each and every smile she ever gave him, he held lovingly in his heart.

--

"Ne, Naruto...would you pay attention when people are talking to you?", an angry and agitated voice broke his thoughts.

Blue eyes blinked as his focus returned to his girlfriend. He's met with green eyes and the cutest pout he's seen in awhile. He grins sheepishly and rubs the back of his head.

"Sorry Sakura-chan. I was kinda thinking." When her eyes narrow and he gulps, his spine tingling with growing nerves, "I-I was Sakura-chan! Really, I was thinking about something really important!"

Sakura scoffs and throws her magazine at his head. "You can at least not lie you idiot!" she folds her legs under her and leans back on the couch, "I asked you if you wanted some ramen so I can start it now before you start complaining like a little baby that I didn't make you some."

Naruto pouts back and fiddles with his two index fingers "Sakura-chan..." he whines, "I was really thinking about something important, I'll tell you over some ramen."

Sakura rolls her eyes and begins to get up from the couch to head towards the kitchen. "Yea yea, now let's see what kind of ramen you have."

Naruto exhales deeply and his eyes follow her back. He grows desperate and shouts out "I-I was thinking about all the things I love about you! And you know how I love everything about you! I was just listing them off in my head, because you w-were staring off into space earlier and you looked so beautiful and then they just popped into my head!" He was in front of her by this point and his blue eyes were pleading "Then I realized your smile was the thing I loved most about you because it's when you show your love for me the most! And every time I see it I feel like everything is going to be all right and t-that I'll always be important you."

He finished and gulped in much needed air. He leaned on his knees and tried to control his breathing. After what felt like minutes he let his eyes wander back up and stare at Sakura.

His own widened as she looked at him.

She laughs and flicks his cheek playfully. "You're so weird." Then she smiles. The smile he had grown to love since his childhood.

His eyes fill with a loving warmness and he smiles back. "Those are the smiles I love the best."

* * *

**Short or what?  
End**


	15. 15 Silence

**Another theme completed, thank you for the wonderful reviews and support all of you have given me! Thanks to all of you I've hit over 11,000 hits on this story!**

**Honestly, thank you! I hope all of you enjoy this one, and that you understand the way I decided to interpret this theme :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine.**

_"The silence, strangely enough, brings me peace."_

_Theme 15: Silence _

* * *

Those upturned trees, that scratched and scathed ground, the large boulders and pointy rocks, the distinct smell of fire powder, blood, and dirt; it was all familiar to her.

The yells of countless nin filled the polluted air, and Sakura found it hard to breath as she tried to get up. Her knees buckled underneath her and she collapsed to the ground again.

The sounds of metal clashing against metal soon followed the screams, and she could see blood spray everywhere around her. Her green eyes trailed down to her scratched and bruised arms. She smiles bitterly, wishing she hadn't gotten as banged up as she did.

Pounding feet, and the sounds of punches and kicks follows the other sounds around her. She grimaces as a stray kunai embeds into her lower leg. She attempts to get up again, and manages to sit up and view the battlefield before her more clearly.

Countless bodies surrounded her. Some were her comrades, and others were her enemies. Another mission had gone array and she, the only medic able to treat the wounded. She spits the blood that collected in her mouth, and tries to see if her legs will cooperate with her.

A body flies by her as she wobbly got to her feet. Her eyes follow the trajectory the body had taken and sees the dead body of one of her enemies hanging limply from a tree. She nods to herself and faces forward again.

The kunai in her leg long forgotten, Sakura takes some unsteady steps towards the loudest sounds from the fight. Her hearing and smelling take over as she finds her vision growing blurry by the minute. She knows she'll lose consciousness soon, and she won't be able to aide her severely wounded comrades.

She still holds a confident air to her though. She knows her former sensei had sent out for reinforcements an hour ago when the whole mess had just started. Soon Konoha medic nin would arrive to help those she couldn't reach.

Besides, she thought, there's only person I want to find.

The sounds of the clashing metal and the pulse of chakra increases as she nears the entrance to the forest. She drags her feet as her breathing begins to become labored. She has a feeling she has more wounds than she had first counted she had. Otherwise, the sudden fatigue and heaviness of her body wouldn't have started so soon.

Another body whizzes by her and crashes violently into a tree. She doesn't turn this time and continues her staggering walk towards the current fights up ahead. If the body didn't sport a blond head and black and orange clothing she would ignore them for now.

First she had to find him, make sure he was alive and well, then she'd return for them.

She leans against the first tree she reaches and tries to even out her breathing. Her eyes narrow as she attempts to regain some focus. She finds her body betraying her as she slowly slides down the trunk of the tree and unto the ground. As her bottom makes contact, she frowns at herself and tries to get up again.

Her legs finally fail on her and she finds herself back in the same position she was earlier. Soon, she feels the fatigue envelop her entire body, and her eyes slowly begin to shut.

The sounds of metal and yelling fill her ears as her mind begins to close down.

And all she could think about was Naruto. 'I...have to find Naruto...I...can't...let a injury like this...slow....me...down.'

--

She opens her eyes again and the first thing she sees is a bright blue and clear sky. Her eyes wander from one end to another. She feels groggy and sore in multiple spots on her body. She can feel the bandages covering her injured abdomen and pats it softly. The sounds of birds and calm voices talking amongst each other fill her ears. The feeling of security slowly begins to cover her until she realizes something is missing.

Her once groggy eyes open wide as she rises quickly from her spot on the ground. She hears the familiar sounds of the medic nin telling her to lay back down and rest. The sounds of metal being picked up and bodies being picked up from the ground soon follow, and she bites her lower lip anxiously.

She spins around, trying to pick up the sound of an annoying laughter, an obnoxious voice, a soothing sign that calms her down and proves to her that he's all right.

Ignoring her injuries, she speeds past the displeased medic nin and heads back towards the entrance of the forest where she was searching for him. Her pace grows desperate as the sounds of the wildlife are all she hears, no human sounds at all.

Her heart beats more rapidly and painfully as she nears the spot and nothing of him comes to her vision. She can feel the deep sense of dread creep down her head and towards her toes. Warm tears form in her green eyes, and the sound of her breathing frightens her more.

Then some rustling, she twirls around, instinct making her draw for a kunai. The sounds of soft whistling and heavy footsteps fill her ears, and she relaxes slightly.

A mess of blond hair comes to view and is soon followed by the battered by very much alive body of her lover. Blue eyes make contact with her green, and they turn warm as Naruto walks towards her.

He's covered in dried blood and bandages surround most of his appendages. He grins happily at her and rubs the back of his head childishly, like he always did when he was going to tell her something he did that he shouldn't have.

"I..." he pauses, "I should have listened to you Sakura-chan, but it's ok...I mean...we all came out of this alive right?" he laughs nervously as he stands in front of her with a pleading look.

"You're all right." She whispers breathlessly.

His eyes widened and he notices the frightened tone in her voice. He gently cups her face and places his forehead on hers. He smiles.

"Yea."

And for the first time since she began to fight, Sakura hears silence.

* * *

**I've just noticed....I have a lot of fighting scenes in this story...wow. I hope I don't come off as morbid for this, after all 'Naruto' is an action-based show.  
Hope you all enjoyed this one. 85 more themes to go!  
End.**


	16. 16 Questioning

**Sorry for my long absence, real life just likes attacking at anyone when they least expect it. I won't include details, but I will try to be more frequent with my updates than I've been in the past three months. Once again sorry and I hope all of you enjoy this next theme. **

**On a side note, if any of you also happen to read my multi-chapter fic 'To See You Again' that fic will also be updated as soon as possible. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine.**

_"Do you have doubts....does your life fill you with a need...  
to question it when the time arises to do so?"_

_Theme 16: Questioning_

* * *

This was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. Her left eye twitches in growing annoyance as the whining voice keeps getting louder and louder.

She twirls around and the fire in her eyes burn out as she stares at the man's depressed look. She sighs and crouches down on the ground next to his slumped form. Her pink hair falls forward and creates a shadow around her face as she stares at the man with increasing pity.

"You have to stop doing this to yourself and you know it." She reprimands him, her frown deepening as his eyes seem to glitter with forming tears.

"I-I just don't understand Sakura-hime…I'm willing to give you anything you ask." His tone grows stronger as he speaks and he begins to sit up as his hands grab her own, "You want a palace I shall give you the best this village of mine has to offer. Any jewels, clothes, flowers, anything you may want…I can give it all to you in a blink of an eye. All I ask is for you to love me as I love you and stay here to be my wife."

Sakura grimaces at the tightening hold of his hands, and the hope beginning to form in his soft brown eyes. She pushes his hands away and stares at him with a look close to one of disbelief.

"Typical talk of a spoiled nobleman." She states, ignoring the hurt in his eyes at her words.

"You don't mean that Sakura-hime…" her unchanged expression deepens his certainty that she meant what she said, "If you hate the way I act, if my words displease you, then I can change myself as well."

Sakura rolls her eyes. There goes the whining voice again she thinks as he crawls towards her, his hands reaching out for hers.

"J-Just please stay here with me and let me prove my love for you." His lips tremble as his hands are swatted away by Sakura.

"Now you're just being unreasonable and increasingly unbearable to be around." She speaks, taking out her gloves to place back on her hands.

The nobleman stays silent as he watches Sakura place her gloves on and check over her ninja equipment. His brown eyes travel over her body and he notices the small scratches and cuts from her past battles. His expression saddens as he notices that this young beauty that had conquered his heart was a portrait of a warrior not meant to be in battle.

"I can take you away from all of this…"He whispers quietly, the only sound heard between the two of them being the rustling of his silk robes. "You're too fragile and beautiful for the horrible life that ninja live everyday."

Sakura straightens out her left glove and stares at the nobleman's determined expression. She smiles gently and takes out a kunai.

"I came here to protect your family while the cultural festival for your village occurred. I fought thieves, thugs, and other nins out for assassination attempts." His brown eyes grow cold as she spoke of this as if it were everyday normality for her. "This was nothing Takashi-sama. I've dealt with stronger opponents, and held deeper wounds than the ones you and your families have seen in the past week."

"See?!" He exclaims loudly, his arms outstretched as his eyes pierce her calm ones. "You talk about this...this life like it's perfectly normal for a young woman like you to be injured and thrown around like some trained object."

She shrugs and stands back up onto her feet. "Well if you wish to get technical, that is what I am."

He shakes his head angrily and gets up the ground as well. He grabs her shoulders and shakes them slightly. "That's not the point Sakura-hime! The point is that I can take you away from the brutality of it all. No more fighting and no more getting attacked." He places her hands on his chest and looks at her pleadingly. "You deserve a quiet life hime, please."

Her green eyes are wide for a moment, almost as if she's contemplating his words. She sighs then, and her eyes grow sad and she shakes her head.

"I thank you for what you're offering me Takashi-sama." His eyes narrow as she backs away from him, her kunai still in her hand. "But you see, I was raised in a village of nin. My heart and my soul were raised in the ninja way. I'm a ninja by birth." Her smile, though beautiful, looks heartbreaking to the nobleman. "My spirit is wild, and I've had a taste of a life full of uncertainty, but also full of adventures and a never ending feeling of freedom."

Her grip on her kunai tightens, and her smile turns into a small smirk. "The life you offer me in your hands is too sedentary for me. I'm sorry…I won't marry you."

Another plead is ready in his lips, but the nobleman stops short and stares at Sakura's green eyes. His eyes widened as he sees the sparkle twinkling in her green orbs. He then smiles, an understanding look coming over his face.

He then chuckles, which cause Sakura to raise an eyebrow, "I can see now why you didn't once during our whole argument question your life and how it is being lived."

Sakura blinks, curious as to what the young nobleman was thinking about their conversation.

His eyes seem to hide something all-knowing and his smile turns sad. In a soft voice he asks, "Tell me Sakura-hime…is there someone waiting for you back home?"

Sakura stares for a moment, analyzing the way Takashi asked the question. He chuckles again at her lost expression.

"I mean, has someone already claimed that wild heart of yours as their own?"

A blush covers her cheeks, and Sakura looks down. Takashi nods, already knowing the answer. As the two stand in the gates to the nobleman's village, he stares up at the darkening sky and smiles again.

"Well, he certainly is one lucky son-of-a-bitch."

"H-How did you know…?"

Another chuckle as the man turns to walk away from the young Kunoichi, "You're not the first Kunoichi I've fallen for, but each time I told them I could take them away from their dangerous and volatile life their eyes turned troubled. They questioned themselves, and if what they had was really what they wanted in their lives. You on the other hand, held no doubt in your eyes…not once Sakura-hime. What other explanation is there for that other than the fact that you're in love…"

--

"You know, staring at ceilings I heard isn't that good for your eye health." The teasing tone of Naruto broke Sakura from her day-dream and she whacked him gently on the forehead.

"I wasn't staring at it; I was just concentrating on something while I thought over some things." She sits up on the couch and lets the blond man sit next to her.

"Besides my gorgeous self," He received a bigger whack from his girlfriend for that and he grinned, "What were you thinking about Sakura-chan?"

"This nobleman in the village I guarded last week tried to get me to question my life is all." She mumbled quietly, placing her head on his broad shoulder.

Naruto rolled his blue eyes and placed his chin on top of her head, "Asked you to marry him huh?"

She smiled and nodded, "He ended up accepting my refusal after he figured out something about me."

His blue eyes blinked in curiosity and he asks as he plays with her pink locks, "Oh yea, what the bastard find out?"

"He said he could tell by my eyes that my heart had already been conquered by someone else."

Naruto smirks. "That so?"

* * *

**Eh, this theme looked so much better when I wrote it last week....oh, well.  
Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated but not expected :)  
End.**


	17. 17 Blood

_"This constant dripping, the brightness of that red color...  
and the sound of life slipping away...  
will it stop soon?"_

_ Theme 17: Blood _

* * *

"How is patient in room 302 doing?"

A shake of a head, "I'm still not sure, he's still in the operating room. They're being careful because of what's inside him."

Another hushed voice, "I heard that spirit is supposed to help heal his body faster?"

Two shakes from the two people. "The battle was far more intense than Tsunade-sama is willing to let the hospital staff know. It appears though; the fox spirit got injured as well."

A gasp from the female nurse, "B-But….Naruto-san is one of the strongest nin that the village has…how?"

The first voice sighs. "He was with Sakura-sama."

All four people stare at each other in understanding; the female nurse smiles sadly.

"I see, then…"

The second man nods. "Tsunade-sama told us little, but what we do know is that Sakura-sama lost consciousness after receiving a critical wound to both her arms."

The first man continues. "She lost nearly all her blood, and her arms were nearly severed from her body." The people in the room grimace. "It appears that Naruto-san fought the elite group of assassins on his own after that, the entire time not once leaving Sakura-sama."

The nurse places a hand on her mouth to hold back a sob. "He used the spirit didn't he?" The three people nod. "And even it got injured, all to protect Sakura-sama."

The third man shakes his head, a half smirk on his face. "Never thought I'd see devotion to that extent, but boy does Naruto make us look like a bunch of pansies."

The men chuckle at the comment, and then the group grows quiet. Minutes pass, as the four sets of eyes stare at the red light above the operation door. They all jump as the doors are pushed opened roughly and an exhausted looking Tsunade appears.

They all leave a path for her and wait to see what she says about the operation. She stops in the middle of the group and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Damn brat, nearly scaring me to death, I'll need double sake for this." She eyes the group and cracks her shoulders. "It took nearly six hours, but Naruto's out of danger. We made sure his wounds were completely shut so that other healing can begin."

They all nod at her words. The fox spirit had been healed as well.

"You two." She points to the female nurse and first man, "Once the other medics carry out Naruto take him to room 227 and start fluids twenty-two and thirty-five in his IV. Keep a twenty-four watch on his vital signs, and I want an hourly check on his blood pressure, I don't want it sky rocketing again, you hear me?"

They nod but the female nurse asks quietly. "Forgive me Tsunade-sama, but why take him to room 227 when he was stationed in room 302?"

The tall blonde woman sighs and her eyes grow glossy. "Naruto suffered multiple hits to his lower abdomen, chest, and upper back area. He lost a large amount of blood and still managed to carry Sakura and walk 32 miles back to Konoha. I might have saved his life, but his will to live and survive these injuries is in that room."

The four stare at their Hokage with worried curiosity.

"Sakura is in that room." With that she leaves the group alone and her heels are heard clicking against the ground as she makes her way down the long corridors of the hospital.

Their attention is driven back to the opened doors of the operation room as five medic nin push the bed carrying an unconscious Naruto out. The four stare in shock at how pale the young man looks, his hair disheveled and a paler shade of yellow. The oxygen mask being the only indication that young man is still alive.

The two medics pushing him from the side let go of the railings and direct their attention to the female nurse.

"You're taking him to his designated room?" One asks behind his blue mouth mask.

The nurse nods. "Good, here are his charts on his current condition; we expect a report of any changes good or bad by tomorrow morning."

With that the five medic nin bow to the group and head back inside the operation room. The nurse nods to the first man and they both begin to push the bed towards the assigned room. The other two follow close behind and help keep the rolling bed steady.

They reach room 227 and open the door slowly. The sounds of machines beeping and the distinct smell of medicine fill their ears and noses. They keep concentrated as they pass by the motionless body of one of their own, Sakura Haruno. The only indication that she's alive being the oxygen mask on her face as well.

The nurse puts the bed carrying Naruto only inches apart from Sakura, and she begins to direct the other men to find the IV liquids ordered by Tsunade and to plug on the machines to monitor Naruto's vital signs.

Minutes later, with all their orders done the four stare at the two young people barely clinging onto life in their beds. The female nurse sighs sadly and stares at the two, the heart monitor showing they both have a steady beat.

"We should get going." The first man says, feeling uncomfortable staring at the ashen faces of two of the brightest nin in the village.

"We'll take shifts on who checks them every hour." The second man reassures the female nurse as they make their way towards the exit.

"Find each other…"The nurse whispers quietly as she's pushed out the door.

The room is quiet of voices, the breathing from the two barely being heard over the sounds of the machines. As the day wears on, the two seems to show signs of movement.

Sakura's brow furrows, and her mouth twitches with words that can't escape. Naruto's expression becomes that of a desperate sleeper, searching for something subconsciously.

A tan, bandaged, trembling hand reaches out from under the covers. Sakura's own bandaged arm dangles just off her bed. The trembling hand grabs her unmoving one and squeezes it. Sakura's closed eyelids twitch at the touch, and her body relaxes back into deep sleep. Naruto's hand still holds hers and his hand seizes trembling. His own expression softens and deep sleep returns.

Neither they nor the outside world would know that they had been under a genjutsu. And that the entire time they remained unconscious all they could see was blood flowing from their lover, and not being able to do a thing about it. The blood would continue to flow until their deaths, and screams would fill the air, only to have it be repeated again in an agonizing cycle.

Now, lying next to each other in a white-washed hospital room, their hands intertwined together; the blood flow seems to have stopped.


	18. 18 Rainbow

_"Look....  
as the sky blends with light to make  
colors."_

_Theme 18: Rainbow_

* * *

This was the first time they've been out of the hospital since their near-death ordeal two weeks earlier. Though the Konoha hospital wasn't recognized for having the best outdoor therapy program, it was definitely better than staying inside the white-washed walls of the bleach smelling recovery room.

Sakura's eyes shut close as she was taken out towards the back entrance where the gardens resided. Her hand comes up and shades her eyes as she opens them to take a better look. She smiles softly. The gardens had been attended to since the last time she saw them. Even the small walkway that allowed the recovering patients to walk and see the entire grounds was swept and the cobblestones could be seen again.

A young nurse pushes her gently forward, avoiding touching Sakura's bandaged arms. Sakura smiles at the girl's concentrated expression as they make their way down the stairs and towards the open walkway.

"Are you doing well Sakura-sama? Do you need to take a small breather?" The nurse asks as Sakura rolls her shoulders carefully.

She shakes her head and smiles at the fidgeting nurse. "My arms are injured, not my legs, so please just relax. I won't collapse on you."

The nurse flinches and blushes as she smiles sheepishly. "I-I see. Forgive me, it's just that we did nearly lose you and Naruto-san, it can't be helped if we're a bit…overly concerned."

Sakura's expression turns solemn for a moment, and then she turns to look at the blooming trees above them. "Yes." Her right hand reaches up to slowly rub her bandaged left arm. "Will he be coming down today?"

The nurse blinks at her before looking down at her clipboard. She smiles and nods her head eagerly. "Yes, in fact, I'm scheduled to bring him down here as well." The nurse walks up to stand in front of the pink-haired woman. "Will you be all right on your own for tem minutes while I go get him from his room?"

Sakura's green eyes twinkle as she nods and begins to follow the cobbled path. The nurse giggles and runs off back towards the hospital.

The young woman watches her sandaled feet as she takes slow deliberate steps around the small garden. Her thoughts race as she tries to hold in her joy at being able to see Naruto after a week of nearly no contact.

After the two of them had escaped their deaths, and were considered in stable condition, they had been separated from each other to different recovering floors. It was something Naruto disagreed rather loudly about days later when he gained full consciousness and realized she wasn't with him.

Of course she wasn't too happy about the arrangement either, but didn't complain since the medical staff separated them out of concern. They were still recovering, the shock of knowing they both escaped death yet again may have slowed down their recovery time.

That aside, after they had regained most of their muscle control back, the nursing staff were ordered by Tsunade to allow them an hour or two of fresh air to revitalize their stiff bodies. It was after that decision that they began to see each other every other day. The week prior had Naruto going through physical therapy to help ease his back pain, so they hadn't had a chance to see each other.

Today would be different, and though her inner self wanted to give him a good whack in the head for apparently giving the therapists a hard time last week, she was also happy to see her boyfriend.

'Speak of the devil.' Sakura thought as she smiles with slight annoyance at hearing the loud voice of Naruto exiting the hospital doors.

He stomped down each stone step and took in a deep breath of the fresh air outside. Bandages stuck out from beneath his shirt where his injuries were nearly healed. The paleness of his skin is nearly gone after two weeks of going outside, and his blond hair never looked wilder.

As he lets out an infectious laugh, the nurse tries to control his spontaneous reaction, but failing miserably as Naruto pats her head and continues to ignore her pleas to remain quiet.

His blue eyes then open as if searching for someone. Sakura smiles and whistles loudly in his direction. She rolls her eyes as he begins to whirl around, frantically searching for the source of the whistling. His smile only broadens as his azure eyes meet her green ones and he begins to wave rapidly as he runs towards her.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! I missed you so much! I can't believe how long those idiots kept me in that lonely room!"

She opens her mouth to tell him to stop yelling so loud, since this was still a hospital. She stops short by a low rumble in the sky. All three of them look up and finally notice the gray clouds rolling in from above them. The nurse's expression becomes more nervous as another rumble echoes across the sky.

Naruto gives the clouds a curious stare before continuing his run towards Sakura. As he reaches her he grabs her hand and delicately kisses her palm. He gives her a childish wink and is happy to see her blush with an angry pout on her face.

"Stop that you buffoon." She yanks her hand back and releases an agitated sigh at his growing grin.

"Sorry, sorry. I just like it when you blush Sakura-chan." She bobs his head lightly and raises a brow.

"I think your injuries affected your brain too." She says indignantly, her eyes twinkling with hidden mischief.

"Ne Sakura-chan… that's cruel." Naruto pouts as another rumble is heard above them.

"Sakura-sama…Naruto-san…um…" the nurse mumbles, but isn't heard as the loud sound of rain pouring begins to descend around them.

Naruto and Sakura blink as the water hits them, and the dry cracked earth begins to moisten with the rain. The nurse uses the wooden part of her clip-board to give herself some covering as the rain begins to increase in quantity.

Naruto's blond spiky hair falls with the weight of the rain and clings to his face. He still holds a stunned expression as Sakura's own pink locks cling to her face. The nurse runs over to them and tries her best to talk through the pounding noise of the rain hitting the ground.

"Please run over to the trees and cover yourselves as best as you two can! I must go back inside and get us some umbrellas, I'm sure the rain will ease up shortly, it's only a spring shower." Thunder booms across the sky as the finishes her sentence, and the two of them look at her with growing disbelief.

The nurse laughs nervously and repeats herself. "I'll be back shortly." She runs back towards the hospital as Naruto and Sakura run to the closest tree and sit on the solitary stone bench underneath it.

"You realize we're going to have to be taken back inside again right?" Sakura asks him irritably, his lack of common sense getting on her nerves.

He blinks at her, and then wraps a wet arm around her shoulders. "I think it's nice actually."

She looks at him with confusion, and grows more confused at his calm expression. "Really? Well then Naruto; please do enlighten me as to why this is nice." He doesn't fail to notice the sarcasm in her voice.

He shrugs and uses his other free hand to intertwine his fingers with hers. "These past few weeks have been pretty hectic for us don't ya think? I mean, yea sure we got to see each other every other day, but never with this calmness like we're in now…you know what I mean?"

Sakura's expression softens, and she shakes her head to his question. His smile widens slightly and his fingers tighten around hers. "The Rain Sakura-chan; for some reason, now that we're around it, I feel a deep sense of tranquility around me. You're okay…I'm okay, everyone else is okay too…I have nothing to worry about." Sakura smiles sadly at the tired expression Naruto wears for a moment. "I haven't felt this in awhile."

The two remain silent after that. They listen to the pattering of the rain as the downpour slows to a mere drizzle. Sakura places her head underneath the crook of Naruto's neck and smiles at the warmth she feel emanating from his body. Naruto looks on at the rain, his blue eyes growing cloudy as he drifts off from time to time to different parts of his memory.

Soon the rain seizes to fall and the gray clouds begin to part. The sun peeks over the last large cloud and sends a warm yellow glow over the village and towards the hospital. As the last of the clouds drift apart, the nurse exits the doors, staring in marvel at the beautiful rays of the sun reflecting off the drops of the green leaves. She slowly climbs down the stairs, forgetting the three umbrellas in her hands.

Naruto stares with a comfortable look as the sunbeams manage to snake their way in through the gaps in the tree branches. Sakura plays around with a loose end of his bandages, and sighs contently as the birds begin to chirp again.

She raises her head slightly as her eyes catch something. She smiles and pokes Naruto's side to get his attention. He removes his arm and lets her sit upright, he tilts his head and turns to look at what Sakura was pointing at.

"A rainbow… right above the hospital…isn't it nice?" She whispers quietly as the sun shines more brightly around them.

Naruto smiles at the colors forming a large arch over the usually dull-looking building. He notices other smaller rainbows forming around them as the drops surrounding the tree's leaves reflect the beams of light.

"See? And you thought this wasn't going to be nice Sakura-chan." He teases her light-heartedly and ruffles her hair.

She elbows him playfully on the ribs and continues to watch the rainbow above them.

"Hey, even I'm wrong from time to time." She states, her hand intertwining with Naruto's again.

* * *

**End.**


	19. 19 Gray

**A/n: A made another update!! It really is the end of the world at this rate XD Really though, I've found my old one-shots for this story, and I apparently stopped at theme 25 so I'm glad I found this. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever find them among my huge hardrive lol.**

**Now, that I have them back, I'll update this one a bit faster until I can get more time to make more of the themes! Though, a warning, this story will not follow the manga in EVERYTHING. Kishimoto has bs-ed me for the last time, so I'll just live in Naruto lala-land where NaruSaku has a 50% or more chance of surviving the plotline xDD**

**(Yea, I've kept up with the manga -sighs-) So enjoy this edited version of theme 19 lol. (Story will be corny...you have been warned...again)  
**

**Disclaimer: I'm VERY glad Naruto isn't mine....the characters are getting too emo :p**

_Theme 19: Gray_

_"And colors have a way of reminding you...  
of the strangest things."

* * *

_

When asked what her favorite color is, many people who knew her since her academy days were very shocked to hear her answer.

"My favorite color? Well…isn't it obvious? Gray!"

Sakura would always reply with the same answer, never once did it change since the age of sixteen. Ino was stumped when she asked Sakura herself and got the same answer: Gray.

"What are you trying to pull now billboard brow?! Your favorite color has been red since you were five!"

She had yelled out to her one day, when many of their friends had asked Sakura the same question, hoping she'd change her answer. Because someone as bright and vibrant as her just couldn't like such a dull color, they were all sure of that.

Sakura had scowled at her best friend, questioning if Chouji would be upset if his girlfriend visited him with a purple eye. She then rolled her eyes and continued filing some paperwork into the hospital records.

Ino had of course, not let the subject go and kept pushing for answers until the pink-haired woman huffed in annoyance and glared at the blonde woman.

"Back off Ino pig! Is it really that big of a deal to you and the rest of our friends to know why gray is my favorite color?!"

Ino blinked at her with stunned eyes and simply replied. "Well…duh!"

Sakura sighed.

"Come on Sakura! Gray is so not your color, is it really that surprising that many of us find your sudden change in color preference odd?"

Sakura placed her elbow on the table and her hand gingerly covered her cheek. "If I answer why I chose gray will all of you leave me alone?"

Ino nodded eagerly, happy to finally get some answer from the pink-haired girl.

Sakura let out a heavy sigh and answered with a twinkle in her green eyes. "It's because of Naruto."

Ino stared at her friend blankly, her blue eyes not once straying away from Sakura's confused face. After seconds of showing no response, Ino finally snapped.

"NARUTO!! Of all the people to choose, you chose Naruto as your excuse?! Sakura you have got to be kidding me! Naruto is the polar opposite of what gray represents! Why would he make you love the color?"

Sakura gave her a knowing smile and beckoned for her friend to come closer. Ino raised a brow but nonetheless walked towards her and leaned down to hear Sakura's explanation.

Sakura stared off towards the window, where rain clouds have been accumulating all day, and it seemed they were finally ready to cause a downpour across Konoha. Sakura's green eyes glazed over, almost as if she was traveling back into her memory herself, leaving everything else behind.

"When were sixteen, Naruto and I had gotten into a petty squabble. Something about how I never liked eating ramen when it was just us but with Sasuke I practically ate the whole restaurant." She half-smiled, and snorted as she recalled Naruto's childish pout.

"Of course that wasn't true. Sasuke just seemed to smile more often when he saw Naruto and me argue, so I figured giving Naruto an excuse to pick a fight would lighten Sasuke's solemn attitude."

Ino's eyes lost their pissed look and was slowly being replaced with growing comprehension.

"So, Naruto got mad when I told him to stop being such a baby and just keep eating his ramen like the pig he was." Sakura sighed. "It's insults I've used before, but for some reason that day, they really hit home for Naruto, and he ended up walking out."

"What did Sasuke say?" Ino asked, since he was somewhat the cause of their past squabble.

Sakura shook her head. "Nothing much. Just called me stupid, smirked, and told me I'd regret it. Then he left, that knowing smirk still on his face."

"I left shortly after, deciding to do some training before it rained, since it was cloudy practically that whole day. I had expected Naruto to track my chakra and come down to train with me, as he usually always did after we 'argued'. He'd apologize with that little pout of his and we'd train."

"I'm guessing that didn't happen."

Sakura gave Ino a bemused smile and nodded. "Back then I never would have admitted it, but the fact that he snubbed me and left me to train alone…was a pretty harsh blow to me. Naruto was reliable in almost everything he did, even when it came to how he handled our little fits of anger. When he didn't come to train, I got angry and decided if he wanted to ignore me then I'd do the same."

"I spent all day avoiding all the places he usually frequented in. Even taking longer routes to the hospital and my apartment just so I wouldn't see him."

Ino's eyes flashed with remembrance as she recalled something. She whispered at Sakura with a stunned expression. "Wait, you mean that day you were a complete depressed mess walking around Konoha like it was the end of the world was when you had that fight with Naruto?"

Sakura glared at the blonde woman. "I didn't look that sad Ino-pig! But yes, that was the day. For some reason, everything I was doing just didn't seem as fun and thrilling as I had once found it. It was as if my whole world of color was wiped clean and all that was left was…"

"Gray." Ino finished for her, her blue eyes lighting with understanding.

"I get it. So Naruto made everything you did in life so much more colorful just by being there, and with that squabble he left your side and suddenly everything looked dull and boring to you."

Sakura smirked and nodded again, putting an empty manila folder in the trash bin.

"Wait. So, shouldn't you know…hate the color gray since it reminded you of how life was without Naruto in it?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled happily, her eyes regaining that far off look. "After leaving the hospital to head home, I got stuck in the rainstorm, with no umbrella I knew I'd probably get sick. A lousy finish to a lousy day I had thought, my guilt for having pushed Naruto into really getting mad at me finally kicking in. Let me tell you, I have never felt so bad then I did then, thinking Naruto would never forgive me for always fighting with him for stupid reasons."

Ino looked at her pink-haired friend with growing anticipation. "Well? What happened? What made you love the color gray that day?"

Sakura let out an exasperated sigh and waved her hand about lazily. "Come on Ino, you're a smart girl you can't figure it out?" At Ino's annoyed look Sakura laughed and continued.

"I sat down by the steps leading up into my apartment and just stared at the clouds as the rain fell from them. I just kept staring at those shades of grays all mixing in as the clouds rolled by to drop more rain. As I sat there, I got to thinking, and began wondering why I always felt so depressed when Naruto and I had a petty argument. Then…it just came to me, like the sun after the rain."

Sakura leaned in closer to Ino and stared at her friend straight in the eye.

"I figured out that I was in love with Naruto. I was completely gaga for the boy." She began to laugh at that, her cheeks gaining a soft pink glow. "And that's why I love the color gray, because I was surrounded by the color when my feelings for Naruto became clear to me."

Ino placed her head on Sakura's desk, a look of amazement written across her face. "Wow." She breathed out, her eyes blinking slowly. "I can't believe you have such a fond memory attached to a color."

Sakura merely grinned, Ino's astonished expression leaving the pink-haired woman extremely amused.

"Yea, well, just don't mention this to Naruto. If he ever found out why, how, or when I fell in love with him, he'd never let me live it down."

Sakura's expression turned sour as she imagined the annoying grin Naruto would surely boast for weeks if he ever knew about her little story.

Ino nodded slowly, the shock of Sakura's story only now starting to rub off. "No problem, but geez, if you'd had just said that to begin with all of us wouldn't have been so bothered over your choice of favorite color."

Sakura snorted as she gets off her chair, and took her finished paper work towards the outbox near the outpatient cabinets. "Yea right, if I told everyone this story, Naruto would have found out before I even got finished telling it."

The young blonde giggled as she picked up her pen again and grinned at Sakura. "Yea you're right, we in the rookie nine are known for not keeping secrets of each other a secret from everyone."

Ino looked over her shoulder to grab the last set of papers she needed to complete when she spotted a shadow standing near the hospital's entrance. She smirked mischievously and coughed to get Sakura's attention.

"Speaking of the color gray Miss Haruno, there seems to be someone waiting for you." She pointed her pen towards the hospital doors, and looked on as Sakura's green eyes lit up when she spotted blond hair and blue eyes staring back at her through the window.

Ino's smirk only widened as an idea popped in her head and she got up from her chair to head towards the copy room.

"Ne, Naruto-kun, would you like to hear an interesting story Sakura JUST told me about you?" She yelled out as she briskly made her way towards the blond jounin.

Naruto gave Ino a confused look and smiled nervously at the look of pure hatred that appeared on Sakura's face as she began to follow after the blonde.

"U-Uh Ino…" He warned her, his voice shaking as Sakura's death glare intensified.

"Trust me Naruto! You're gonna love this story!" Ino happily spoke through her fits of giggles as Sakura charged after her.

"Ino-pig!!!!!!!!"

* * *

**Behold the awful work of my editing skills on a one-shot that's nearly a year old.**

**Yea, I tried to make it a bit more...eh, realistic to how I want to make all these one-shots somewhat fit in chronological order.**

**So far, I might either succeed or fail hehehe. Still I hope you all enjoyed it :D**

**Reviews are appreciated but not expected.**

**End.  
**


	20. 20 Fortitude

**A/N: I did say I'd come back to my neglected stories, and this one included! Since I'm trying to finish up my other NaruSaku story 'To See You Again' I'd figured I should try and finish this one as well. With this chapter out, that makes eighty more one-shots to write to complete the one-hundred theme challenge. I hope I can continue to do this, and hope the readers will enjoy!**

**Also, this wasn't the original story for this theme, but I for the life of me can't find the other six themes I had apparently already done for this story. I re-wrote it and you all have this giant ball of angst that is this theme. Don't worry the next theme will be much happier and humorous! For now, please enjoy and as always reviews are not expected but appreciated!**

**Warning: Character death. **

_"We are weak, but for my own sake I do not regret this journey,  
which has shown that we can endure hardships,  
help one another, and meet death with as great a fortitude as ever."_

_-Unknown _

* * *

Theme 20: Fortitude

It had been a petty argument. A common occurrence when it came to them. Really she doesn't even remember exactly what it was that got her so upset, but she's regretting it terribly now. It had been a week of silent treatments, cold shoulders, and deliberately ignoring the other. As passionate and loving partners as they were, they were just as stubborn and just as cruel as well.

God, how she regrets it now, with a gaping wound in her gut and a pool of dark blood forming beneath her…how she regrets their argument now. She gasps as another shooting pain comes from her wound and leaves her breathless for a second. She's been trying for the past hour to drag herself to a more secluded spot, and another hour before that trying to heal what she could with what little chakra she had left.

It was a routine mission; escort person A to location B, escort person A and person B safely back to Location A. All routine, but they got ambushed, badly, by a large group of unusually strong assassin nin. It was a solo mission she thought she could handle, and though there were six of them and one of her she managed well until the wound to her gut.

She's not sure where the last two assassins ran off to, but she managed to defeat the other four before succumbing to her wound. Her two escorts were unconscious but safe by the tree she was presently trying to get to. All she had to do was get to them and wait it out till reinforcements arrived.

Yes, easier said than done. She was nearly half a day's away from Konoha, and her slug she sent with the s.o.s alert might not be fast enough to get there before…

She grunts in excruciating pain as she makes one last effort to drag herself closer to the tree behind her. The pain is too much, and she feels another spurt of blood leave her body and collect in the growing pool of blood underneath her. She falls back, and closes her eyes, trying to breathe deeply but unable to from the pain it causes her to do so.

She's an idiot…a big, ridiculous idiot with too much pride and too much stubbornness for one girl to have. She regrets that argument. Naruto…deserves better than to be treated like that over something that she's sure was nothing, but she blew it into a bigger deal simply because…she was immature.

Now, lying on this barren battle-scarred field, with her life literally seeping out of her, she feels that regret she's felt since opening her big mouth over a week ago, grow even more. That argument might cost her, her only chance of being able to…say good-bye to the one man that matters most in her heart.

Her body tenses as another shooting pain darts from her wound and spreads to her arms and legs. She can feel the rest of her body reacting to her wound, she was slipping. Her hands claw at the ground fiercely, her dimming green eyes gaining some light as she fights the urge to just close them and sleep.

No, she had to keep holding on; she had to wait for help to arrive. She already had the regret of leaving the village fighting with Naruto, she didn't want the deaths of her two escorts on her conscious too. She had to keep on living just a little longer…just until Konoha nin arrive with back-up…and hopefully…he'd be there too. She manages a smile, 'Knowing that idiot, even if he's upset with me, he'd still come running as soon as he hears it's me that needs s.o.s'

She coughs up blood, and feels the clot that escaped her mouth slide down her cheek and land on her sprawled out pink hair. She takes a shaky breath and feels the first sense of fear since collapsing on the ground. No, it wasn't death she was fearful of. She was a kunoichi, death was part of the job. No, it was the thought of dying with the knowledge that her last words to Naruto were, "BAAAAKA! Like I need someone like you anyways! I'm better off alone!"

She groans in pain, both from her wound and the emotional reaction to that memory. Gods, she regrets that argument. It made her say such hateful, bitter things. Things she never meant, things said in the spur of the moment because she was hurt, and she wanted Naruto to hurt too. She feels the tears falling before she can stop it and her breathing is starting to slow down further.

'No, damn it body! Hold on for just a little bit longer…if I'm going to die I want my last words to him to be meaningful….not…hurtful.' She can hear the familiar sounds of nin fast approaching her location. 'Just a little longer…he has to hear this…he has to or he'll think I hate him…when really…' She can hear her escorts stirring behind her, and she's glad they seem to be okay. Her heart makes a painful 'thump' noise, and she coughs up another clotted mass of blood.

"I can feel Sakura's chakra signal in this direction, i-it's weak Sasuke-kun."

'Ah, that's Hinata's voice…well if they sent Sasuke here then Hinata must come too…those two are more stubborn then Naruto and me.' She smiles through the blood flowing from her mouth. 'Would've been nice to see them finally admit they're made for each other but…'

"Damn it, dobe! If you recklessly jump around like that you'll give away our position! If there are still enemies around we can't let them know we're here for Sakura."

"I don't care; I have to get to Sakura! I can feel it! And you can too teme! Her chakra's getting weaker!"

Ah, Naruto's voice. She feels her heart give one last weak leap of joy at hearing his familiar and welcoming voice. 'So…he came after all…knowing how unfair and insensitive I was to him…he came.'

She's slipping. She can't hear their voices anymore, even though they're surely closer to her than before. She tries to keep her eyes open, but her body succumbing to death overpowers her and she finds her eyes closing on their own.

'Come on body…just…a few more…minutes…I haven't told him…I have to tell him. I…I didn't hold on this long just to let him see me die in front of him like this…please…just hang on a little bit longer…'

She hears the loud scrapping of multiple feet land in front of her, but even that sounds distant and barely audible. She thinks she hears screaming, the frantic touch of someone lifting her from the ground. She senses the familiar chakra of Naruto and Sasuke, both seeming to be giving off waves of frantic nervousness.

'You're here…I…did I make it in time?' She tries, but realizes with striking sadness that she can no longer open her mouth…she was seconds from death. 'No…I…have to tell him….he has to know, I…I don't hate you…I always need you, I'm not better off alone…I'm better off with you…I…I love you Naruto…Please…tell me you know that….please…don't hate me.'

"Damn it! Why isn't it working?!"

"Hinata's trying her best Naruto…"

"I…I know that Sasuke…b-but…why…is she still losing color?"

Silence, Hinata's tears hit Sakura's pale and still face. She trembles and shakes her head bowing it in resignation and mourning. Sasuke looks up to see Naruto still trying to shake Sakura awake, ignoring that her chest stopped moving minutes ago.

His coal eyes blink away tears he wants to call imaginary, and grabs the sleeve of Naruto's jacket. The blonde yanks away and tightens his hold on the motionless girl in his arms. Sasuke scowls and yanks his sleeve forward again.

"Naruto…"

"Shut up! Just shut up! I know what you're gonna say, and it isn't true so just shut up!" Sasuke doesn't hear a young man weeks away from being hokage…he hears his twelve-year old teammate and his scowl deepens.

He grabs the man's arm this time, and his other hand gently grabs the cold arm of his…dead…teammate. Naruto glares at him, but stops as he sees a single tear roll down the usually stoic man's face. "Enough Naruto…she's gone…she's gone."

Naruto cries. He pulls Sakura's cold body towards him and releases one anguished cry after the other. Sasuke remains silent, his hand holding unto Hinata's so it doesn't tremble, so he doesn't show weakness, so he can be strong for Naruto.

'Please…just know…I love you…I'll always love you.'

* * *

**End.  
**

**(For those who need it -hands out tissues-)**


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